ABSTRACT
Looking for a biotechnical potential, aqueous extracts of leaves of 12 native species used in the Mayan traditional medicine of the coastal dune and mangrove of Yucatan (Mexico) were selected to evaluate their biological activities. Rhizophora mangle and Manilkara zapota showed the highest free radical scavenging activity (3.94 ± 0.19 and 6.42 ± 0.32 µg/mL, respectively), and the highest antihypertensive activity was obtained from Solanum donianum (0.38 µg/mL). The anti-hyperglycemic activity of these species was also tested; the highest activities were registered with R. mangle. The antimicrobial activity of Malvaviscus arboreus, S. donianum, M. zapota, and R. mangle at 10% (w/v) was positive against six human pathogenic bacteria and Bonellia macrocarpa against one pathogenic fungus. Solanum donianum, M. zapota, B. macrocarpa, and R. mangle were positive against two pathogenic plant fungi. These results show that the aqueous extracts of five native plants of the Yucatan coast have potential as antioxidants, ACE inhibitors, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors, and as antimicrobials, which make their exploration for utilization in the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries a possibility.
Subject(s)
Anti-Infective Agents , Antihypertensive Agents , Bacteria/growth & development , Fungi/growth & development , Hypoglycemic Agents , Plant Extracts , Plants, Medicinal/chemistry , Anti-Infective Agents/chemistry , Anti-Infective Agents/pharmacology , Antihypertensive Agents/chemistry , Antihypertensive Agents/pharmacology , Humans , Hypoglycemic Agents/chemistry , Hypoglycemic Agents/pharmacology , Plant Extracts/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacologyABSTRACT
AbstractAphelandra scabra (Vahl) Sm., Acanthaceae, is a shrub widely used by some Mayan communities as carminative, antidote, and remedy for some infections. Bio-guided isolation of the methanol extract of leaves led us to the purification of the anti-giardial metabolites cirsimaritin and sorbifolin, along with the inactive metabolites cirsimarin, sorbifolin-6-O-β-glucopyranoside, and squalene. Cirsimaritin displayed high activity in the anti-giardial bioassay with an IC50 = 3.8 μM, being considered as outstanding when compared to previous reported metabolites, while sorbifolin showed a low activity with an IC50 = 75.6 μM. Additionally, both compounds proved not to be cytotoxic in an in vitro bioassay against HEK-293, a normal cell line. This is the first investigation on anti-giardial properties of A. scabra and its phytochemistry as well, thus the isolated compounds are considered as new for the plant genus and for the species.
