Chemical Composition, Cytotoxic and Antibacterial Activities of the Essential Oil from the Tunisian Ononis angustissima L. (Fabaceae).

The chemical composition, cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of the hydrodistilled essential oil of the aerial parts of Ononis angustissima from south Tunisia has been evaluated. The oil yield was 0.04% (w/w). The chemical composition, determined by GC and GC-MS is reported for the first time. Forty-five components, accounting for 93.7% of the total oil have been identified. The oil was characterized by a high proportion of oxygenated sesquiterpenes (33.2%), followed by sesquiterpene hydrocarbons (6.3%) and apocarotenoids (10.3%). The main components of the oil were α-eudesmol (22.4%), 2-tridecanone (9.3%) and acetophenone (7.4%). The essential oil was tested for its possible cytotoxic activity towards the human cervical cell line HeLa using the MTT assay and the antibacterial activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus and the clinical strain Acinetobacter sp. This oil exerted a cytotoxic activity with an IC50 of 0.53 ± 0.02 mg/mL and a significant antibacterial effect against P. aeruginosa and E. faecalis.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities with gastroprotective effect of semi-purified fractions and isolation of pure compounds from Mediterranean gorgonian Eunicella singularis.

OBJECTIVE: To explore anti-inflammatory activities of organic extract and its semi-purified fractions (ethanol, acetone, methanol/dichloromethane) from the Mediterranean gorgonian Eunicella singularis. METHODS: The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities were evaluated, using the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model and the acetic acid writhing test in mice. The gastroprotective activity was determined using HCl/EtOH induced gastric ulcers in rats. The purification and structure elucidation of compound(s) from the more effective fraction were determined by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods and in comparison with data reported in the literature. RESULTS: The fraction F-EtOH showed an important anti-inflammatory activity associated with significant analgesic and gastroprotective properties. The purification and structure elucidation of compound(s) from this fraction lead to the identification of one diterpenoid and four sterols. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that components from the active fraction can be used to treat various anti-inflammatory diseases.

Isolation and structure elucidation of bioactive compounds from the roots of the Tunisian Ononis angustissima L.

A phytochemical investigation of the roots of Ononis angustissima L. (Fabaceae) offered to the bio-guided isolation of new isoflavone 3-(4-(glucopyranosyloxy)-5-hydroxy-2-methoxyphenyl)-7-hydroxy-4H-chromen-4-one 1, together with nine known compounds, ononin 2, formononetin 3, (+)-puerol A-2'-O-ß-D-glucose 4, (-)-puerol B-2'-O-ß-D-glucopyranose ((-)-sophoraside A) 5, (+)-puerol A 6, (-)-trifolirhizin 7, (-)-trifolirhizin-6'-O-malonate 8, (-)-maackiain 9 and (-)-medicarpin 10. Compounds 2-10 were isolated and identified for the first time in Ononis angustissima. We investigated antioxidant capacities of isolated molecules and results showed that compound 6 exhibited the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 values of 19.53 µg/mL, 28.29 µg/mL and 38.53 µg/mL by DPPH radical, ABTS radical cation and reducing power assay, respectively, and an interesting IC50 (20.45 µg/mL) of 1 against DPPH. In addition, the neuroprotective activity of six isolated molecules (4-7, 9, 10) were evaluated. Following the exposure of PC12 cells to Aß25-35, compounds 9 and 10 triggered a significant increase of cell viability and in a dose dependent manner.

Anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities with gastroprotective effect of semi-purified fractions and isolation of pure compounds from Mediterranean gorgonianEunicella singularis

Objective:To explore anti-inflammatory activities of organic extract and its semi-purified fractions (ethanol, acetone, methanol/dichloromethane) from the Mediterranean gorgonian Eunicella singularis.Methods:The anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities were evaluated, using the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema model and the acetic acid writhing test in mice. The gastroprotective activity was determined using HCl/EtOH induced gastric ulcers in rats. The purification and structure elucidation of compound(s) from the more effective fraction were determined by chromatographic and spectroscopic methods and in comparison with data reported in the literature.Results: The fraction F-EtOH showed an important anti-inflammatory activity associated with significant analgesic and gastroprotective properties. The purification and structure elucidation of compound(s) from this fraction lead to the identification of one diterpenoid and four sterols.Conclusions: These results suggested that components from the active fraction can be used to treat various anti-inflammatory diseases.

Pharmacological evaluation of the semi-purified fractions from the soft coral Eunicella singularis and isolation of pure compounds.

BACKGROUND: Gorgonians of the genus Eunicella are known for possessing a wide range of pharmacological activities such as antiproliferative and antibacterial effect. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-inflammatory and gastroprotective effect of the organic extract and its semi-purified fractions from the white gorgonian Eunicella singularis and the isolation and identification of pure compound(s) from the more effective fraction. METHODS: Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated, using the carrageenan-induced rat paw edema test and in comparison to the reference drug Acetylsalicylate of Lysine. The gastroprotective activity was determined using HCl/EtOH induced gastric ulcers in rats. The purification of compound(s) from the more effective fraction was done by two chromatographic methods (HPLC and MPLC). The structure elucidation was determined by extensive spectroscopic analysis (1H and 13C NMR, COSY, HMBC, HMQC and NOESY) and by comparison with data reported in the literature. RESULTS: The evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity of different fractions from Eunicella singularis showed in a dependent dose manner an important anti-inflammatory activity of the ethanol fraction, the percentage of inhibition of edema, 3 h after carrageenan injection was 66.12%, more effective than the reference drug (56.32%). In addition, this ethanolic fraction showed an interesting gastroprotective effect compared to the reference drugs, ranitidine and omeprazol. The percentage of inhibition of gastric ulcer induced by HCl/ethanol in rats was 70.27%. The percentage of the reference drugs (ranitidine and omeprazol) were 65 and 87.53%, respectively. The purification and structure elucidation of compound(s) from this ethanolic fraction were leading to the isolation of five sterols: cholesterol (5α-cholest-5-en-3ß-ol) (1); ergosterol (ergosta-5,22-dien-3ß-ol) (2); stigmasterol (24-ethylcholesta-5,22-dien-3b-ol) (3); 5α,8α-epidioxyergosta 6,22-dien-3ß-ol (4) and 3ß-hydroxy-5α,8α-epidioxyergosta-6-ene (5); and one diterpenoid: palmonine D (6). CONCLUSION: Based on data presented here, we concluded that diterpenoids and sterols detected in the ethanolic fraction can be responsible for its pharmacological activity.