ABSTRACT
The current study was assigned to evaluate the total phenol, total flavonoid content [TPC, TFC] and antioxidant properties of extracts from the aerial parts of Scrophularia frigida [S. frigida]. Extracts were also tested by preliminary phytochemical screening as well as cytotoxic activity against Artemia salina, MCF-7 [human breast carcinoma] and SW-480 [colon carcinoma] and L-929 [normal] cell lines along with antimicrobial characteristic. DPPH, MTT and Brine shrimp lethality tests and disc diffusion method were carried out to determine the biological activities of the different extracts of S. frigida. In addition, the extracts which had more potent antioxidant and antiproliferative activity were further analyzed by NMR and GC-MS. 40% methanol-water [from MeOH extract] fraction showed higher amounts of TPC, TFC and antioxidant property. Findings of the study for general toxicity effect showed that dichloromethane [DCM] and MeOH extracts had weak to moderate effects. Furthermore, DCM extract indicated the most potent anti-proliferative activity against cancer cell lines. No evidence of antibacterial activity was determined. On the other hand, analysis of the potent extract DCM in cytotoxic assay showed the presence of trans-phytol and cis-oleic acid in GC-MS. Furthermore, NMR analysis of potent methanolic fractions in antioxidant tests revealed the presence of iridoids and phenolics. Generally, the results of TPC, TFC and antioxidant activity of extracts and fractions were in agreement with each other
ABSTRACT
The current study evaluated the general toxicity, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic activity of extracts obtained from the rhizomes of Eremostachys azerbaijanica [Labiatae] as well as analyzed the potent extracts using GC-MS. Extracts of E. azerbaijanica in n-hexane, dichloromethane [DCM] and methanol [MeOH] were prepared using a Soxhlet apparatus. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated for free radical scavenging activity by DPPH assay. The antimicrobial activity of samples was determined by disc diffusion and brine shrimp lethality assay [BSLA] was used to assess general toxicity. The cytotoxicity of each extract was determined by MTT assay against human colorectal adenocarcinoma [HT29], human lung carcinoma [A549] and a normal cell line [human umbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVEC]. The MeOH extract showed significant antioxidant activity and the n-hexane and DCM extracts showed promising activity against gram-positive species when compared with amikacin as a standard. Moreover, the n-hexane extract displayed the most potent activity in general toxicity assay. The results showed that all three extracts have cytotoxic effects against the A549 cell line. In the case of HT29 cell lines, only the DCM extract exhibited cytotoxicity. Interestingly, none of the extracts showed significant cytotoxic activity against the HUVEC cell line. The bioassay-guided identification of constituents showed the presence of fatty acids and steroids as the compounds responsible for bioactivity in the non-polar extracts