Abstract
The chemical constituents and biological activity of Pinus cembra L. (Pinaceae), native to the Central European Alps and the Carpathian Mountains, are not well known. The aim of the present work was to examine the phenolic content, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of hydromethanolic extracts of Pinus cembra L. bark and needles. Bark extract had higher concentrations of total phenolics (299.3 vs. 78.22 mg gallic acid equivalents/g extract), flavonoids (125.3 vs. 19.84 mg catechin equivalents/g extract) and proanthocyanidins (74.3 vs. 12.7 mg cyanidin equivalents/g extract) than needle extract and was more active as a free radical scavenger, reducing agent and antimicrobial agent. The EC50 values in the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzo-thiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and reducing power assays were 71.1, 6.3 and 26 μg/mL for bark extract and 186.1, 24 and 104 μg/mL for needle extract, respectively. In addition, needle extract showed ferrous ions chelating effects (EC50 = 1,755 μg/mL). The antimicrobial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, Sarcina lutea, Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans were assessed by the agar diffusion method. Both extracts (4 mg/well) were active against all the microorganisms tested; bark extract showed higher inhibition on all strains. These results indicate that Pinus cembra L. bark and needles are good sources of phytochemicals with antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.
Highlights
Pinus cembra L. (Pinaceae; variously known as Swiss stone pine, Arolla pine, ceder pine, cembran pine) is a coniferous species growing in the Central European Alps and the Carpathian Mountains [1].Several studies have investigated the knotwood part, buds, needles and cones of cembran pine [2,3,4,5,6,7].Pinosylvin, pinosylvin monomethyl ether and dihydropinosylvin monomethyl ether were the main stilbenes identified in knotwood extract
Since polyphenols are known to occur in conifer barks and needles, this study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Pinus cembra L
Polyphenols are a class of secondary metabolites which play a key role as antioxidants; they are able to scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are produced in plant cells as a consequence to UV light and ozone exposure
Summary
Pinus cembra L. (Pinaceae; variously known as Swiss stone pine, Arolla pine, ceder pine, cembran pine) is a coniferous species growing in the Central European Alps and the Carpathian Mountains [1].Several studies have investigated the knotwood part, buds, needles and cones of cembran pine [2,3,4,5,6,7].Pinosylvin, pinosylvin monomethyl ether and dihydropinosylvin monomethyl ether were the main stilbenes identified in knotwood extract. Several studies have investigated the knotwood part, buds, needles and cones of cembran pine [2,3,4,5,6,7]. In free radical trapping capacity assays (chemiluminescence based-methods) the stilbene extract (IC50 0.84 μg/L) was shown to be a more effective scavenger of superoxide radicals than butylated hydroxyanisole (IC50 2.7 μg/L) and Trolox (IC50 6.3 μg/L), but it had a lower peroxyl radical scavenging capacity than Trolox In tert-butylhydroperoxide induced lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomes the stilbene extract (IC50 132 μg/L) was more active than butylated hydroxyanisole (IC50 198 μg/L), but less active than Trolox (IC50 5.0 μg/L) [2]. Cembran pine knotwood contains pinocembrin, a flavonoid which showed a weak lipid peroxidation inhibition potency (IC50 1,135 μg/L)
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