LC-MS analysis of Urtica urens water extracts: active ingredients and their impact on beta-hematin formation

Abstract

This study investigates the potential antimalarial efficacy of aqueous extracts from various parts of dwarf nettle (Urtica urens)-leaves, roots, and stems-by examining their ability to inhibit beta-hematin formation. The findings indicate that extracts from the roots and stems exhibit minimal antimalarial activity, while the leaf extracts show considerable promise. When the leaf extract was diluted, it maintained its antimalarial activity at concentrations up to 50%, but effectiveness decreased with further dilution. This decline may be attributed to the reduced concentrations of the active compounds present in the water extracts. The leaf extract was effective at concentrations ranging from 1 mg/ml to 0.5 mg/ml, but lost its activity at 0.3 mg/ml, likely due to inadequate levels of these compounds at this level. LC-MS analysis identified key flavonoids in the leaf extract, including flavanols such as Myricetin 3-O-rutinoside, Isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside 7-O-rhamnoside, Kaempferol 3,7-diglucoside, Kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, Rutin, Apigenin 7-O-diglucuronide, Kaempferol 3-O-(6''-acetyl-galactoside) 7-O-rhamnoside and flavanones such as Luteolin 7-O-diglucuronide. Examining their chemical structures offers insights into how these flavonoids might interact with heme, thereby enhancing our understanding of their antimalarial potential and supporting their consideration as candidates for malaria therapy.