ABSTRACT
The root extracts of Onosma leptanhtha were evaluated for their anti-iflammatory and cytotoxic activities. The cyclohexane extract, which appeared as the most active in both assays, has been further subjected to bioassay-directed fractionation to afford the naphthazarine derivatives: beta,beta-dimethylacrylshikonin (1), isovalerylshikonin (2) and acetylshikonin (3). The evaluation of the anti-inflammatory activity was performed on carrageenan-induced rat paw edema test. All the tested compounds proved to be active, while compound 3 showed the best anti-inflammatory effect. In addition, the cytotoxic activity of the extracts and isolated compounds, was also assayed against L1210 murine lymphoblastic leukemia cell line, and human fibrosarcoma HT-1080 cells. Compound 1 exhibited remarkable cytotoxic activity (390 nM for L1210 cells), which is superior to that of shikonin, which was used as control.
Subject(s)
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology , Boraginaceae/chemistry , Naphthoquinones/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Animals , Anthraquinones/chemistry , Anthraquinones/pharmacology , Anthraquinones/toxicity , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/chemistry , Anti-Inflammatory Agents/toxicity , Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents/toxicity , Biological Assay/methods , Carrageenan/pharmacology , Cell Line, Tumor , Cyclohexanes/chemistry , Edema/chemically induced , Humans , Indomethacin/pharmacology , Inhibitory Concentration 50 , Male , Naphthoquinones/chemistry , Naphthoquinones/toxicity , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Extracts/toxicity , Plant Roots/chemistry , Plant Roots/toxicity , Rats , Rats, WistarABSTRACT
The antioxidative potential of Achillea alexandri-regis has been studied by measuring the influence of herb extracts on hydroxyl and superoxide radicals' quantity in different in vitro systems. The ethyl acetate extract exhibited hydroxyl radical scavenging activity in all tested biological system (liver homogenate, hemolyzed blood, serum and postmitochondrial liver fraction), whereas butanol extract reduced hydroxyl radicals significantly only in the postmitochondrial liver fraction. Both extracts showed superoxide radical scavenging effect only in hemolyzed blood.
Subject(s)
Achillea , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Animals , Antioxidants/chemistry , Free Radical Scavengers/chemistry , Hydroxyl Radical/chemistry , Lipid Peroxidation/drug effects , Mitochondria, Liver/drug effects , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Rats , Superoxides/chemistryABSTRACT
The cytotoxicity and antioxidant properties of herb extracts of Achillea alexandri-regis were studied. Combined chloroform and ethylacetate extracts exhibited a pronounced cytotoxic effect against HeLa cancer cells (IC50 = 25.92 +/- 4.96 microg/ml), and lower cytotoxicity against K562 leukemia cells (IC50 = 48.59 +/- 18.31 microg/ml). The methanol extract was found to be a moderately cytotoxic in vitro agent against HeLa and K562 cells. No suppressive activity was detected on non-malignant peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The antioxidant activity of the methanol extract was assessed by DPPH radical scavenging. The methanol extract of A. alexandri-regis showed concentration dependent DPPH radical scavenging activity with IC50 = 36.14 +/- 0.05 microg/ml.
Subject(s)
Achillea/chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology , Antioxidants/pharmacology , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/isolation & purification , Antioxidants/isolation & purification , Biphenyl Compounds , Free Radical Scavengers/pharmacology , HeLa Cells , Humans , Monocytes/drug effects , Picrates/pharmacologyABSTRACT
Antioxidative activity of Laurus nobilis leaves, bark and fruit methanolic extracts (crude and defatted) were studied on the level of lipid peroxidation in liposomes, induced by Fe(2+)/ascorbate system and measured spectrophotometrically by the TBA-test. The most significant inhibition of lipid peroxidation was obtained with methanolic extracts of laurel bark (70.6% of inhibition was obtained with 1.0 mg of crude extract).
