Abstract
BackgroundThe concept of botanical therapeutics has revitalized due to wide importance of plant derived pharmaceuticals. Therefore, the ameliorative characteristics of Ajuga bracteosa were studied.MethodsTotal phenolic content, flavonoid content, antioxidant capacity, reducing power and free-radical scavenging activity were determined colorimetrically. Specific polyphenols were quantified by RP-HPLC analysis. Preliminary cytotoxicity was tested using brine shrimp lethality assay while antiproliferative activity against THP-1 and Hep-G2 cell lines was determined by MTT and SRB protocols respectively. Antileishmanial potential was assessed via MTT colorimetric method. To investigate antidiabetic prospect, α-amylase inhibition assay was adopted whereas disc diffusion method was used to detect likely protein kinase inhibitory, antibacterial and antifungal activities.ResultsAmong fifteen different extracts, maximum total phenolic content (10.75 ± 0.70 μg GAE/mg DW), total reducing power (23.90 ± 0.70 μg AAE/mg DW) and total antioxidant capacity (11.30 ± 0.80 μg AAE/mg DW) were exhibited by methanol extract with superlative percent extract recovery (17.50 ± 0.80% w/w). Chloroform-methanol extract demonstrated maximum flavonoid content (4.10 ± 0.40 μg QE/mg DW) and ethanol extract exhibited greatest radical scavenging activity (IC50 14.40 ± 0.20 μg/ml). RP-HPLC based quantification confirmed polyphenols such as pyrocatechol, gallic acid, resorcinol, catechin, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, syringic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, vanillic acid, coumarin, sinapinic acid, trans-cinnamic acid, rutin, quercetin and kaempferol. The brine shrimp lethality assay ranked 78.60% extracts as cytotoxic (LC50 ≤ 250 μg/ml) whereas significant THP-1 inhibition was shown by methanol-acetone extract (IC50 4.70 ± 0.43 μg/ml). The antiproliferative activity against Hep-G2 hepatoma cancer cell line was demonstrated by n-hexane, ethylacetate and methanol-distilled water (IC50 8.65–8.95 μg/ml) extracts. Methanol extract displayed prominent protein kinase inhibitory activity (MIC 12.5 μg/disc) while n-hexane extract revealed remarkable antileishmanial activity (IC50 4.69 ± 0.01 μg/ml). The antidiabetic potential was confirmed by n-hexane extract (44.70 ± 0.30% α-amylase inhibition at 200 μg/ml concentration) while a moderate antibacterial and antifungal activities were unveiled.ConclusionThe variation in biological spectrum resulted due to use of multiple solvent systems for extraction. We also deduce that the valuable information gathered can be utilized for discovery of anticancer, antileishmanial, antioxidant and antidiabetic bioactive lead candidates.
Highlights
The concept of botanical therapeutics has revitalized due to wide importance of plant derived pharmaceuticals
The results showed maximum extract yield of 17.50 ± 0.80 and 17.50 ± 0.20% w/w in the acetone-distilled water (A-distilled water (Dw)) and M solvents respectively while the lowest yields were observed with n-hexane-ethyl acetate (Nh-ethyl acetate (Ea)) and Ea extracts (1.50 ± 0.20 and 1.50 ± 0.40% w/w respectively)
Choice of solvent is a critical factor when it comes to extract recovery [13]. This should be kept in mind that the greater extract yield does not mandate the guaranteed biological activity and the medicinal property is dictated by the intrinsic nature of the components which produce the given bioactivity either collectively or individually
Summary
The concept of botanical therapeutics has revitalized due to wide importance of plant derived pharmaceuticals. The pharmaceutical companies have displayed their active participation in search of lead molecules from higher plants as well as development of standard phytotherapeutic agents with optimum quality, efficacy and safety [2] One such higher plant with enriched pharmacological properties is Ajuga bracteosa Wall. Locally known as Kori Booti, (family; Lamiaceae/Labiatae, synonym; A. remota) It abounds in the western Himalayas at the altitudes of 1300 m and is widely distributed in subtropical and temperate regions from Kashmir to Bhutan, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, China, and Malaysia. The antiinflammatory effect of the plant was confirmed by using acute and chronic arthritic rat models and mouse ear edema assay [6, 9] In these studies, ajugarin I, lupulin A, withaferin A, reptoside and 6-deoxyharpagide were found to be responsible for the observed activity. Fifteen mono and binary solvent systems with escalating polarity have been employed to extensively explore, cytotoxic, protein kinase inhibitory and antileishmanial potential of this plant for the first time
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
