Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties of two Tunisian Ephedra species (E. alata and E. fragilis) through their phytochemical constituents. The ethanol extract of E. alata exhibited potent antioxidant power activities and highpolyphenol contents. The ethyl acetate extract of this species possessedanticancer activity against cancerous cells MCF-7 (IC50 = 26 and 16 µg/mL in MTT and resazurin tests, respectively) as well as non cancerous cells Vero and H9C2 (IC50 = 143 and 22 µg/mL using MTT assay and 49 and 12 µg/mL using resazurin test, respectively). Besides, the ethyl acetate extracts 11ofE. alata and E. fragilis showed an important anti-inflammatory effect inhibiting NO (62% and 70% at 50 µg/mL, respectively). Subsequent analysis of the active fractions using LC-DAD revealed that chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, gallic acid, quercetin and isoquercitrin were the main bioactive molecules which might be responsible for their antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties. Overall, the results suggested that the two Ephedra species are valuable sources of natural agents beneficial for human health.
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