Therapeutic profiling of Thespesia populnea seed acetone extract: A mangrove-associated source of antioxidant, antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities

<p>Organic solvent extracts of three cyanobacterial species (Anabaena oryzae, Oscillatoria sp. and Stigonema ocellatum) were tested for antimicrobial activity against human pathogenic fungal and bacterial strains as well as for antioxidant and cytotoxic activity against human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7). The acetone extract of Anabaena oryzae was found to be the most active one against tested fungal and bacterial strains. It showed a maximum antimicrobial activity against Serratia marcescens and Candida albicans. The methanol extract of Oscillatoria sp. exhibited the best total antioxidant capacity compared to the other solvents and algal species. Acetone and methanol extracts of Anabaena oryzae exhibited high toxicity against MCF-7 cell line with IC50 of 45.1 and 44.4 µg/L, respectively. Acetone was the best solvent for extracting the active material. The acetone extracts were characterized by Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrophotometer (GC–MS) to identify the compounds responsible for such activities. Pharmaceutical important compounds in the acetone extract of cyanobacterial species like diacetone alcohol, acetic acid butyl ester mesityl oxide and heptadecane were present as a major component. These results indicate that extracts of studied cyanobacterial species exhibited appreciable antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity and could be a source of valuable bioactive materials for health products.</p>

This study involved the investigation of polyphenol and flavonoid content, the antioxidant and antimicrobial potential of Hyoscyamus albus extracts. Four sub-fractions were obtained by successive extraction by using methanol, chloroform, and ethyl acetate. The extracts' yields were counted and the total phenolic (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC) were assessed via spectrophotometric methods. The extracts' antioxidant activity was investigated by using DPPH test, Total Antioxidant Capacity (TAC), Hydroxyl radical scavenging potency and β-Carotene/linoleic acid bleaching assay. The antimicrobial potential was valued against 08 strains of pathogenic bacteria and yeast. The results revealed that the CrE yielded the highest extracted value (13,34%) and the lowest percentage yield was that of EAE (1.46%). Interestingly, the EAE gave higher amounts of polyphenols (186.55 mg GAEq/gE), whereas the ChE showed the lowest content (45.19mg GAEq/gE). Notably, both the EAE and ChE fractions contained the highest levels of flavonoids, correlating with their antioxidant activity. Specifically, the EAE displayed the highest DPPH scavenging activity (p<0.001) with IC50 of 21μg/ml and revealed the strongest total antioxidant capacity (EC50 = 50μg/ml). While the CrE is regarded as an excellent OH quencher with a weaker IC50 close to the synthetic reference standard (p<0.001). However, ChE showed greater inhibition of β-carotene bleaching and impeded linoleic acid oxidation. Furthermore, the tested extracts exhibited different degrees of antimicrobial activity. The EAE was the only extract that proved effective against the yeast (Candida albicans). The current study confirmed the important antioxidant action, as well as the significant antimicrobial effects of Hyoscyamus albus extracts. These findings firmly underpin the traditional applications of this herb for treating ailments and infection, and could in fact be a source of natural antioxidant, and antibacterial compounds.

Micromeria graeca L. is a dense chemical source of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds, which have various health-related properties. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of different extractor solvents on phenol and flavonoid contents, as well as the antioxidant and antifungal activities of different extracts. Initially, three extractor solvents (methanol, ethyl acetate, and water) were used to prepare the Soxhlet extracts, which were then examined for their polyphenolic content, flavonoid content, and antioxidant potential using three complementary assays (DPPH, FRAP, and TAC). The antifungal capacity against the two fungal strains (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger) was performed using the method of diffusion on disc. The dosage of phytochemical compounds revealed that the highest values were established in water extract with values of 360 ± 22.1 mg GAE/g dry weight plant and 81.3 ± 21.2 mg RE/g dry weight plant for TPC and TFC, respectively. In addition, the strongest antioxidant activity measured by DPPH and FRAP assays was established in water extract with IC50 values of 0.33 ± 0.23 and 0.23 ± 0.12 mg/mL, respectively, while the methanol extract showed the best antioxidant activity as measured by TAC with an IC50 of 483 ± 17.6 mg GAEq/g dry weight plant. The water extract recorded the most important antifungal activity against Candida albicans with an inhibition zone of 16 ± 1.6 mm and MFC = 500 μg/mL, whereas ethyl acetate extract showed the lowest activity against both studied fungi strains. Micromeria graeca L. contains considerable amounts of bioactive contents with high antioxidant and antifungal potentials, which may make it a promising source of antioxidants and natural antifungal agents.

Antimicrobial and antioxidant potency of aqueous and organic solvent extracts of five Indian medicinal plants (Prosopis cineraria, Capparis decidua, Tinospora cordifolia, Carissa carandas and Cordia dichotoma) was investigated. The acetone and ethanol extracts exhibited highest antimicrobial activity (60 to 80% and 40 to 60%, respectively) againstStaphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Escherichia coli, Aspergillus niger andCandida albicans. Acetone extracts showed inhibitory zones ranging from 11.2 - 19.8 mm whereas no inhibitory effect was observed for aqueous extracts. During NBT assay of acetone and ethanol extracts of all the plants, maximum antioxidant activity was noticed in C. carandas (63.5 and 61.0% for acetone and ethanol extracts, respectively). The inhibitory potential when compared with known antioxidant (L-ascorbic acid), it was observed that IC50values of acetone extracts of C. carandas and T. cordifolia (93 and 97 µg/ml) were very close to L-ascorbic acid (81 µg/ml). The results suggest that C. carandas has promising antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. Key words: Antimicrobial activity, antioxidant activity, microbial susceptibility index, NBT, medicinal plants.

Extracts of Agrimonia eupatoria L. as sources of biologically active compounds and evaluation of their antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antibiofilm activities

In this study, we investigated the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Isodon amethystoides (Benth.) CY Wu et Hsuan leaf extracts. Leaves were subjected to extraction with acetone, chloroform, ethanol and ethyl acetate. The extraction efficiency of these four solvents ranked as follows: acetone > chloroform > ethanol > ethyl acetate; highest extraction yield of 18.27% was obtained using acetone as the solvent. Total phenolic content and flavonoid content were determined using Folin–Ciocalteau and aluminium chloride (AlCl3) methods, respectively. The acetone extract had the highest total phenolic content (146.77 mg GAE/g dry extract) and flavonoid content (81.57 mg RE/g dry extract) among the four types of extracts. Further, the antioxidant activity was determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method and the antimicrobial activity was evaluated using disc-diffusion and broth microdilution assay. The strongest antioxidant activity was observed in the acetone extract with a half minimal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.4024 mg/mL in the DPPH scavenging assay. The acetone and ethyl acetate extracts exhibited strong antimicrobial activity. The strongest antibacterial activity of the acetone extract was observed against Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.10 mg/mL and 0.05 mg/mL, respectively. The acetone extract had high antifungal activity against three of the six agriculturally important pathogenic fungi with MIC ranging from 0.5 mg/mL to 0.8 mg/mL. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activities may be attributed to the high total phenolic and flavonoid contents in the acetone extract. Our findings suggest I. amethystoides leaves as an important source of natural compounds with potential use in agriculture.

Punica granatum L. (Pomegranate) is a plant belongs to Lythraceae family. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of petroleum ether, chloroform , acetone, ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts from the peel fruit of Punica granatum against standard microorganism. This plant has been used as a traditional treatment for several diseases such as microbial infections. Extracts were evaluated for their effectiveness against four bacterial strains including both Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria as well as fungal species (Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger) using disc diffusion method. The ethyl acetate, acetone and petroleum ether extracts showed higher antibacterial activity than the chloroform and ethanol extracts with inhibition zone ranged between (7-16 mm). The petroleum ether and chloroform extracts showed the higher antifungal activity compared with the other extracts, the diameter inhibition zone ranged between (11-16 mm). The antioxidant potential of peel extracts was determined on the basis of their scavenging activity of the stable 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical and 2,2'azino-bis(ethyl benzthiazoline -6-sulfonic acid (ABTS+). All extracts showed high antioxidant activity . The highest result of antioxidant activity by DPPH scavenging assay was in acetone extract (89.40%), but high result by ABTS in ethanol extract (72.07%).
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Psidium guajava (Myrtaceae) is an important food crop and medicinal plant supporting its traditional uses. The aim of the present study was to evaluate phytochemical, antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of various solvent extracts of leaves of P. guajava. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of terpenoids, tannins, steroids, flavonoids, saponins, alkaloids and highest amount of phytocompounds was reported with methanol, ethanol and acetone extract. Total phenolic and flavonoid content was found to be highest in acetone extract (256.32 ± 4.56 mg/g GAE) and n-butanol extract (198.64 ± 1.23 mg/g RE) respectively. The antimicrobial assay revealed that acetone extract (13.5 ± 2.12 mm) exhibit maximum zone of inhibition against P. aeruginosa; while acetone (14 ± 0.71 mm) and ethanol (14.5 ± 2.12 mm) showed maximum zone of inhibition against S. aureus. Chloroform extract (10.2 ± 1.13 mm) showed maximum inhibition to the growth of C. albicans. Guava leaves also possess antioxidant activity which was evaluated in terms of % DPPH (2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity and was found highest in acetone extract (41%). Cytotoxic activity was evaluated in terms of stimulation index using bovine lymphocytes and highest stimulation index was found with methanol extract (1.432 ± 0.193). This study revealed that acetone extract of guava leaf comprises effective antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxicity and can be used for therapeutic applications.

Syzygium cumini is commonly used in India as a traditional medicine. In this study, the antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of different solvent extracts of S. cumini leaves were investigated. Extraction was done sequentially in Soxhlet apparatus, using various solvents (petroleum ether, toluene, ethyl acetate, acetone and water). Antioxidant activity was evaluated by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging assay, hydroxyl radical scavenging assay, superoxide anion radical scavenging assay and reducing capacity assessment. Total phenol and flavonoid content was also measured. The antimicrobial activity was done by agar well diffusion method against some of the tested foodborne, pathogenic and skin disease causing microorganisms. The acetone extract had more total phenol content and more antioxidant activities, conforming to the hypothesis that phenol content and antioxidant activity has a direct correlation. The acetone extract had notable antimicrobial effect on microorganisms. The results obtained appeared to confirm the antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials of the S. cumini. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Food safety is a fundamental concern of both consumers and the food industry, especially as the number of reported cases of food-associated infections continues to increase. It has been estimated that as many as 30% of people in industrialized countries suffer from foodborne diseases each year. Microorganisms play a major role in contamination of stored foods deteriorating them quantitatively as well as qualitatively. Fungi are significant destroyer of foodstuffs during storage, rendering them unfit for human consumption by retarding their nutritive value and sometimes by producing mycotoxins. In the present study, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of different solvent extracts of Syzygium cumini leaves was evaluated. Acetone extract had good antioxidant activity comparable with standard and remarkable antimicrobial activity. The results indicate that S. cumini may become important natural source of compounds with health protective potential and antimicrobial agent, which can be used in pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and food preparation.

Potentilla argyrophylla Wall. ex Lehm., a significant medicinal plant employed in Ayurveda, Siddha, Sowa‐Rigpa, and Chinese medicine, was collected from Kunzum Pass (altitude ∼ 4590 m), Spiti Valley, a UNESCO‐recognized Cold‐Desert Biosphere, Himachal Pradesh, India. The aerial parts were analyzed for phytochemical content, antioxidant, antimicrobial, and alpha‐amylase inhibitory activities, and employed phytofabrication of silver nanoparticles. Synthesized silver nanoparticles (PoSNPs) were characterized using UV spectroscopy, x‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectroscopy, and selected area electron diffraction analyses. Antimicrobial potential was examined against Candida albicans MTCC 227, Bacillus cereus BCS1, Streptococcus mutans MTCC 890, and Escherichia coli MTCC 443. Total phenol content was higher in methanol extract, while acetone extract was richer in flavonoids and tannins. Both extracts possessed antimicrobial (highest MIC 625 µg/ml against S. mutans ), antioxidant (IC 50 76.14 and 58.69 µg/ml for acetone and methanol extracts, respectively), and alpha amylase inhibition (IC 50 2.08 and 5.41 mg/ml for acetone and methanol extracts, respectively) potentials. Notably, crystalline and almost spherical PoSNPs outperformed their parent extract in antimicrobial (MIC 3.91 µg/ml against S. mutans ) and antioxidant (IC 50 12.94 µg/ml) activities, highlighting their potential for biomedical applications.

Cannabis sativa L., an ancient plant with a rich history of medicinal and industrial uses, continues to garner significant interest. This study systematically compared four extraction methods: ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE), Soxhlet extraction, maceration, and decoction, to isolate bioactive compounds from the flowering tops of C. sativa L. using a 50% (v/v) water/ethanol solvent system. Comprehensive assessments were conducted on extraction yields, phytochemical profiles, antioxidant activities, antimicrobial properties, and chemical composition via gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Among the methods, UAE demonstrated superior performance, yielding the highest concentrations of phenolics (84.05 mg GAE/g), flavonoids (19.26 mg QE/g), flavonols (15.53 mg QE/g), and tannins (32.52 mg CE/g). It also exhibited optimal antioxidant activities in DPPH (IC₅₀: 63.56 ± 0.02 µg/mL), ABTS (IC₅₀: 57.64 ± 0.06 µg/mL), and FRAP (EC₅₀: 250.63 ± 0.12 µg/mL) assays, along with a high total antioxidant capacity (200.91 ± 0.07 mg AAE/g extract). The extracts showed potent antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and ESBL-producing Escherichia coli, with UAE and maceration displaying superior effectiveness (MIC values ranging from 12.5 to 50 mg/mL). Significant antifungal activity was also observed against Fusarium proliferatum, Aspergillus niger, and Candida albicans, with UAE achieving the lowest MIC values (6.25 to 25 mg/mL). GC-MS analysis revealed distinct chemical profiles for each extraction method, notably significant quantities of phenols, terpenes, and fatty acid derivatives. This study identifies UAE as the most effective method for extracting bioactive compounds from C. sativa L., offering high yields and superior preservation of therapeutic properties. These findings provide valuable insights for developing optimized, environmentally sustainable extraction protocols in pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic applications.

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women with a very high mortality rate. This cancer is caused by uncontrolled growth of breast cells. Treatments for this malignancy are surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy, however those methods can cause adverse effects and quite expensive. Complementary and alternative medicines (CAMs) are also used to support those main treatments, one of them is herbal medicine. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is known to have various phytochemical components with antioxidant, antibacterial, anticancer, and analgesic activities. This study is aimed to determine the phytochemical composition, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis extract towards MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Method: Dried Hibiscus rosa-sinensis was milled to a powder, subsequently extracted by multilevel maceration method using n-hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol as solvents. Phytochemical components were analyzed by phytochemistry test and thin layer chromatography (TLC). Antioxidant activity was determined using DPPH method, whereas cytotoxic activity towards MCF-7 breast cancer cells was evaluated by MTT assay. Results: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis were proved to contain triterpenoids in all extracts, alkaloids in n-hexane and ethyl acetate extracts, flavonoids and tannins in ethyl acetate and ethanol extracts, and steroids in n-hexane extract. TLC analysis showed n-hexane extract contains 8 phytochemical compounds, ethyl acetate contains 6 compounds, and ethanol extract contains 2 phytochemical compounds. Antioxidant activity of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis extracts towards DPPH free radicals were highly active with IC50 value of 1.56 µg/mL for ethyl acetate extract and 42.30 µg/mL for ethanol extract. Cytotoxicity of ethyl acetate extract of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis towards MCF-7 breast cancer cells was moderately active with IC50 value of 79.37 µg/mL. IC50 value of n-hexane and ethanol extracts were 125.23 µg/mL and 210.77 µg/mL, respectively, in which both were categorized in weakly active. Conclusion: Hibiscus rosa-sinensis contains several phytochemical components which showed highly active antioxidant activity towards DPPH free radicals and moderate-to-weak cytotoxic activity towards MCF-7 breast cancer cells.

Dittrichia viscosa, a perennial herb belonging to the Asteraceae family, was collected in a coastal site located in northern Morocco. This study focused on exploring the phytochemical composition and biological activities of essential oils (EOs) and solvents (methanol and acetone) extract of leaves, stems, and flowers. Total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents were determined, and the result showed a high level of TPC and TFC in leaves with the values of 127.61 mg GAEs/g and 117.82 mg CEs/g, respectively. HPLC-MS analysis highlighted 18 phenolic acids and flavonoids, with notable quantities of apigenin 7-glucoside (2233 μg/g) and chlorogenic acid (1429 μg/g). GC‒MS analysis of EOs allowed the identification of 27 biologically active compounds, dominated by decanoic acid (20.98%) and toluene (19.66%). Regarding the biological activities, antioxidant activity was evaluated through the DPPH test, while antifungal activity was tested using the microdilution method. The most potent antioxidant effect was observed in the methanol extract of leaves, with a value of 0.18 mg/mL, while the weakest effect was noted in the acetone extract of flowers, registering a value of 1.63 mg/mL. Similarly, the antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts surpassed that of acetonic extracts in each part of D. viscosa. Concerning antifungal activity, the findings reveal that all extracts demonstrated important capacity against the tested pathogens. The methanolic extract displayed high efficacy compared to the acetonic one, with MFC values ranging between 1.94-3.38 mg/mL and 2.88-4.75 for Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Trichophyton rubrum, respectively. However, for Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. albedinis, the MFCs were higher (7.5-8.5 mg/mL). Regarding EOs, the MFCs were more favorable for the three human pathogenic fungi, ranging between 1.88 and 3.35 µL/mL, compared to F. oxysporum, which has an MFCs of 3.5 µL/mL. In summary, the findings demonstrated that D. viscosa could be considered a useful alternative and reliable source of bioactive compounds for the pharmaceutical and agricultural industries.

Introduction: Berkheya onopordifolia and other Berkheya species are used traditionally to treat fever, malaria, skin conditions, sexually transmitted infections, gastrointestinal issues, and inflammation in many regions of Southern Africa. This study aimed to validate its traditional uses through in vitro analysis of methanol, acetone, and aqueous extracts for antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties. Methods: The nitric oxide (NO) assay was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity, while cytotoxicity was determined using Hoechst 33342/PI staining method. Antioxidant activity was assessed through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and Ferric ions reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays, and antimicrobial activity using the broth microdilution technique. Bioactive compounds were examined using different qualitative and quantitative techniques. Results: Flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, glycosides, diterpenes, and dicarboxylic acids were identified in the extracts. Antimicrobial activity was observed in both methanol and acetone extracts, at minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) between 0.6 to 1.25 mg/mL against Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, and several gram-negative and positive bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Acetone extracts inhibited NO release by over 50%, indicating strong anti-inflammatory potential, but showed cytotoxicity to Vero cells at 400 µg/mL. It also exhibited moderate antioxidant activity (IC₅₀ = 9.83 ± 0.31 µg/mL), significantly different (P≤0.001) from Trolox (6.17±0.43 µg/mL) and ascorbic acid (6.57±0.98 µg/mL). Conclusion: Despite low selectivity and linear correlation values, the acetone extract demonstrated notable antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. These findings support the traditional medicinal use of B. onopordifolia and highlight the need for further studies on its isolated bioactive compounds.

Comparative study among Avicennia marina, Phragmites australis, and Moringa oleifera based ethanolic-extracts for their antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities