Phenolic content, antioxidant potential and Aedes aegyptii ecological friend larvicidal activity of some selected Egyptian plants

Polyphenols constitute a distinct group of natural compounds of medicinal importance exhibiting wide range of physiological activities as antioxidant, immune-stimulant, antitumor and antiparasitic. Yellow fever and dengue fever are mosquito-borne infectious diseases transmitted by Aedes aegyptii, the presence of yellow fever in Sudan and dengue fever in Saudi Arabia are threats to Egypt with the re-emerging of Ae. aegyptii in Southern Egypt, larvae control is feasible than flying adults. This work was conducted targeting estimation of the relative levels of total phenolic content, antioxidant potential and larvicidal activity of 110 selected Egyptian plants. The highest total phenolic contents were estimated in aqueous extracts of Coronilla scorpioides L., Forsskaolea tenacissima L, Crataegus sinaica Boiss., Pistacia khinjuk Boiss. and Loranthus acacia Benth.; they were 916.70 +/- 4.80, 813.70 +/- 4.16,'744.90 +/- 4.93, 549.00 +/- 3.93 and 460.80 +/- 4.02 mg% while those of methanol extracts were estimated in Coronilla scorpioides, Forsskaolea tenacissima, Crataegus sinaica, Loranthus acacia and Pistacia khinjuk; they were 915.60 +/- 4.86, 664.60 +/- 4.16, 659.30 +/- 4.80, 590.80 +/- 4.49 and 588.00 +/- 3.85 mg% respectively. Investigation of the antioxidant potentials revealed that the most potent plants were Coronilla scorpioides, Forsskaolea tenacissima, Crataegus sinaica, Pistacia khinjuk and Loranthus acacia with calculated values of 454.80 +/- 4.83, 418.4+/-4.16, 399.10 +/- 4.90, 342.5 +/- 2.72 and 239.7 +/- 2.91% for aqueous extracts and 452.9 +/- 4.94, 389.6 +/- 4.6, 378.48 +/- 3.84, 352.3 +/- 3.06 and 346.5 +/- 2.98% for methanol extracts respectively while screening of larvicidal activity proved that Coronilla scorpioides, Forsskaolea tenacissima, Crataegus sinaica, Pistacia khinjuk and Loranthus acacia exhibited highest potency calculated as 22.53 +/- 2.01, 23.85 +/- 2.07, 28.17 +/- 2.06, 31.60 +/- 2.93 and 39.73 +/- 4.58 mg% aqueous extracts and 18.53 +/- 1.95, 18.8 +/- 1.67, 20.17 +/- 1.85, 23.28 +/- 2.7 and 28.48 +/- 3.9 mg% methanol ones respectively

Interrelation of antioxidant, anticancer and antilieshmania effects of some selected Egyptian plants and their phenolic constituents

Medicinal plants are the most potential resource of new therapeutic agents. They are diverse, largely productive, biologically active and chemically unique; among their constituents [polyphenol compounds group] one of the main determinant factors in evaluating the pharmacological potentials i.e. polyphenols display an array of pharmacological properties such as antioxidant, immunostimulant, antitumor and antiparasitic effects. Cancer is a dreadful human disease, increasing with changing life style, nutrition and global warming while current available anticancer drugs cause serious side effects in most instances. Several reports suggested the relationship between antioxidant, anticancer and antiparasitic effects; they suggested that they act indirectly through promoting host resistance, restabilizing body equilibrium and conditioning body tissues in addition to their direct effect on certain parasites involved in cancer etiology. This work was conducted for estimation of total phenolic, flavonoids, phenylethanoid glycoside and iridoid content of twenty-three selected Egyptian plants as well as screening of their anticancer, antioxidant and antileishmanial effects, the overall gained results for suggest that the most suitable medicinal plant used as anticancer and antioxidant is Petrea volubilis L. which contain adequate mixture of total phenolic compounds 88.7 mg% and flavonoids 50.80 mg% and also suggest that flavonoid compounds are the category of phenolic compounds possess significant antioxidant and anticancer effects while the antilieshamnia screening revealed that Thymus decussatus Benth. extract exhibited the highest effect due to the presence of flavonoids and iridoids in adequate combination where iridoid compounds 201 mg% and flavonoid content was 128 mg%

Biotechnological and phytochemical studies on Myrtus communis L. including determination of essential oil content and antioxidant activity

Shoot tips and nodes of Myrtle [Myrtus communis L. family miyrtaceae] were used as explants for callus formation in this study. Half salt strength of MS medium without plant growth regulators showed no callus formation and regeneration. The results clearly showed that half salt strength of MS basal solid medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/l NAA and 1.0 mg/l TDZ or 1.0 mg/l NAA and 1.0 mg/l BAP recorded the best results in callus production from shoot tip or node explants [5.29, 4, 98, 3.84 and 3.69, mg /jar fresh weights, respectively]. The same trend was obtained with the other parameters as 0.37, 0.35, 0.51 and 0.48 g / Jar dry weights, respectively, 98.66, 97.33, 63.55 and 54.29, callus percentage, respectively, 5.0, 4.85, 4.35, and 4.15, callus size [Degree] respectively. In regeneration, half salt strength of MS solid medium contained 1.0 mg/l IAA, 0, 5 mg/I BAP and 0.2 mg/I GA3 observed the highest records in that concern with callus obtained before from both types of explant [shoot tips or nodes] in the medium contained 1.0 mg/I BA and 1.0 mg/I NAA. In acclimatization, shoots without in vitro root formation were transferred to soil mixture of equal volumes of peat-moss and sand. The highest percentage of survival was recorded when these shoots were dipping in solution of 1.5 mg/I IBA and 1.0 mg/I 0A3. The quantity of essential oil of plant was equal 0.5% [V/W] of yellowish volatile oil, from analysis of the oil using GC and GC/MS; it was obvious that it contained 14 compounds where alpha-pinene represented the highest percentage [66%] while alpha-thugen was the lowest one [0.5%]. The antioxidant activity was investigated in leaf extracts of in vitro produced plants and in vivo grown plants [mother plants] which recorded 82% and 75% respectively. Total phenolic compounds and total flavoniodal contents were investigated in leaf extracts of in vitro produced plants and in vivo grown plants [mother plants] parameters were 112 micro g% and 125 .micro g%, respectively with the extract of in vitro leaves while the extract of in vivo leaves [mother plants] showed 102 micro g% and 114 micro g%, respectively