Abstract
Objective: To investigate phytochemicals and biological activities of Capparis cartilaginea extracts.Methods: The methanolic extracts of leaves, stem and twigs of C. cartilaginea were screened for their phytochemicals. The essential oil of the leaves was hydrodistilled by a Clevenger apparatus and analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The leaves extract of C. cartilaginea was evaluated for its anti-inflammatory effect, using formalin-induced paw edema. The leaves, stem and twig extracts were assessed for their antioxidant activity, using free radical scavenging assay, cytotoxic activity, using 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and antibacterial activity, using the microdilution method.Results: All extracts of C. cartilaginea contained alkaloids, carbohydrates, protein, coumarin, phytosterols, bitter principles, phenols and tannins. The essential oil of the leaves was mainly composed of isopropyl isothiocyanate (69.4%), butane,1-isothiocyanate (26.97%) and isobutyl isothiocyanate (3.26%). The leaves extract at doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg, significantly inhibited paw edema at the 3rd h (49.1%, 54.0%, respectively) and this effect was comparable to that of diclofenac (58.87%). The leaves extract showed the highest antioxidant activity with IC50 value of 91.71 µg/ml. The twigs extract exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity against human lung carcinoma (A549) with IC50 of 57.5 µg/ml. The leaves and stem extracts exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5.0 mg/ml. Conclusion: The leaves extract of C. cartilaginea is a potential source of bioactive compounds that could have a role in anti-inflammation. Twigs extract of the C. cartilaginea possesses a potential cytotoxic effect on human lung cell line.
Highlights
Capparis are the largest genera of Capparidaceae which are shrubs, trees and woody climbers that comprise about 250-400 species
Taking into account the environmental effects on the quality and quantity of chemical components of plant species and the consequent difference in biological effects, our study investigated the phytochemical screening of leaves, stem and twigs of C. cartilaginea and their biological activities, including the antibacterial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities
A number of spots corresponding to the bitter principles in the leaves and stems extracts were higher than that of those of the twig extract
Summary
Capparis are the largest genera of Capparidaceae which are shrubs, trees and woody climbers that comprise about 250-400 species. They are found in tropical and subtropical zones of Southern America, Europe, Africa, Madagascar, Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands [1]. Capparis cartilaginea have various traditional uses in the Arab region It is used for easing bruises, childbirth, earache, headache, paralysis, swelling, skin and joint inflammation, knee problems; tendinitis and snakebites [3, 4]. Phytochemical studies of C. cartilaginea have resulted in isolating flavonoids [8, 9] and isothiocyanates [3] Other phytochemicals, such as carbohydrates, saponins, polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes, sterols, amino acid and protein have been found in the leaves of C. cartilaginea from Yemen [10]
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