Abstract
Cotula cinerea of the Asteraceae family is a traditional Moroccan plant with various biological activities such as analgesic, cytotoxic and antioxidant effects which are often related to the presence of secondary metabolites. The present work aims to screen and identify the main phytochemicals compounds of Cotula cinerea extracts. A method was developed that coupled a rapid and simple ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography system with both photodiode array and high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometry detectors (UHPLC-PDA/TOF-HRMS) for the identification of the main secondary metabolites of three investigated extracts (hexane, AcOEt and n-BuOH). A total of 30 phytocomponents pertaining to phenolic compounds and terpenoids have been detected, identified and quantified. Among these were previously reported free and conjugated coumaric and caffeic acids along with free and conjugated flavones and flavonols with kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin and apigenin aglycones. In addition, sulfated flavonoids were identified in the investigated extracts and are reported in this work for the first time in Cotula cinerea. The obtained results have been discussed in relation to the biological activities of the corresponding extracts. This study proposed a practical strategy for rapidly screening and identifying secondary metabolites of Cotula cinerea and provided new information on the phytochemicals of this Saharan plant. This work has therefore provided useful results for further pharmacological studies and the design of new drugs based on this species and will facilitate the utilization of Cotula cinerea in the clinic and its safety evaluation. It is also hoped that the information presented here might stimulate further studies that will possibly lead to development of therapeutic agents from this plant.
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