Leonotis Nepetifolia Research Articles

First report of cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus infecting cucurbit crops in Jamaica.

The increasing prevalence of whitefly-transmitted viruses affecting cucurbit crops has emerged as a significant concern for global cucurbit production. Two of the most widely prevalent threats in the Americas are cucurbit yellow stunting disorder virus (CYSDV) and cucurbit chlorotic yellows virus (CCYV) (Crinivirus, Closteroviridae). These viruses induce similar foliar symptoms on cucurbit crops (Mondal et al., 2023) leading to loss of photosynthetic capability and decreased yields. Cantaloupe (Cucumis melo), watermelon (Citrullus lanatus), and cucumber (Cucumis sativus) are major cucurbit crops in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica, which is the principal fruit and vegetable producing region of the country. In August 2018, foliar symptoms were observed on cantaloupe, watermelon, and cucumber plants in several commercial farms in St. Elizabeth. These symptoms, mainly on the older leaves, consisted of severe yellowing or interveinal mottle and they appeared more pronounced on cantaloupe and cucumber plants compared to watermelon. Growers noticed the production of smaller than normal fruit. Disease incidence ranged from 10 to 100% and whiteflies (Bemisia tabaci Gennadius) were observed in the fields. To identify virus(es) associated with the disease, six plants (cantaloupe [n = 3], cucumber [n = 1] and watermelon [n = 2) exhibiting symptoms were sampled from four fields for preliminary screening. Total RNA was extracted from leaf tissues as described in Tamang et al. (2021) and samples tested by a multiplex reverse transcription RT-PCR method that targeted the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) of the whitefly transmitted viruses, CYSDV, CCYV, squash vein yellowing virus (SqVYV), and the aphid- transmitted cucurbit aphid-borne yellows virus (CABYV) (Mondal et al. 2023). RT-PCR amplified the expected 494-bp fragment of the CYSDV RdRp gene (Mondal et al., 2023) from two symptomatic plants; one cantaloupe, one cucumber, as well as from CYSDV-infected control plants but not from healthy controls. Further testing was conducted during the June-August 2020 growing season after similar symptoms were observed on additional farms in St. Elizabeth and two regions, Manchester and Clarendon, located to the east of St. Elizabeth. Twenty-one cucurbit leaf samples (11 cantaloupe, seven watermelon and two cucumber from St. Elizabeth and one cantaloupe from Clarendon) exhibiting foliar yellowing progressing from the crown outward, and mottling were collected. Whiteflies (5) from these fields in St. Elizabeth and 20 asymptomatic weed samples were also collected and sent to the USDA-ARS laboratory at Salinas, CA. Total RNA from leaf samples was extracted as described above and tested for CYSDV, CCYV, and CABYV. Total leaf DNA was also extracted (Mondal et al. 2016) and assayed with PCR (Gilbertson 2001) to detect the presence of the whitefly-transmitted cucurbit leaf crumple virus (CuLCrV), a begomovirus, commonly found in the southeastern United States (Gadhave et al., 2018; Keinath et al., 2018). Nineteen of the 21 cucurbit samples tested positive for the presence of CYSDV by RT-PCR (Mondal et al. 2023). Of the 19 CYSDV-positive samples, 13 cantaloupe, one cucumber, and five watermelon samples were singly infected with CYSDV, and one cantaloupe sample was infected with both CYSDV and CABYV. Amplicons of the Jamaica isolate from cantaloupe were sequenced (OR399555) and a 494 nt section of the RdRp gene was found to share 100% sequence identity to the Arizona 1 isolate (EF547827.1). The presence of CYSDV, was further confirmed using a second set of primers that amplified a 394-nt portion of the CYSDV coat protein gene (Polston et al., 2008). Among the weed samples, CABYV was detected in one sample from a Leonotis nepetifolia plant (Lamiaceae) and two Cleome sp. (Capparaceae) collected from St. Elizabeth. None of the crop and weed samples tested positive for CCYV or CuLCrV. DNA from whiteflies was extracted and assayed with PCR using species specific primers (Chen et al. 2016). All whiteflies were identified as B. tabaci cryptic species MEAM1, which is widely known an efficient vector of CYSDV (Berdiales, et al. 1999). This is the first report of CYSDV in Jamaica and its first known occurrence in these hosts within the country. Further monitoring of cucurbit crops and the whitefly vector is warranted to better understand the epidemiology.

Novel Bis-spiro-labdane type Diterpenes from Leonotis nepetifolia: Isolation, Semi-synthesis, and Evaluation of their Cytotoxic Activities

Traditional medicinal plants offer huge opportunities to discover novel therapeutics against many diseases. Investigation into the chemical diversity of the traditional medicinal plant, Leonotis nepetifolia led to the identification of a novel bis-spiro labdane type diterpenoid, nepetaefolinoside A (1) along with eleven known compounds (2-12). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Further, semi-synthetic derivatives of nepetaefolinol (2) were synthesized, and evaluated for their in vitro cytotoxicity along with the isolates against a panel of human cancer cell lines using SRB assay. The results clearly evidenced that most of the derivatives significantly inhibited the growth of cancer cell lines. Especially, compound 15 which is a synthetic derivative of compound 2 containing the acetylenic moiety displayed potent anticancer activity (IC50: 1.7 ± 0.34 µM) as compared with the parent molecule 2 (IC50: 54 ± 1.27 µM) and standard nocodazole (IC50: 5.3 ± 1.3 µM) against cervical cancer cell line (Hela). Flowcytometry analysis of 15 revealed that it induced apoptosis and arrested cell cycle in G2/M phase and further generates oxidative stress in HeLa. Mechanistic studies have shown that 15 induce tubulin depolymerization and arrest the cell cycle by upregulating the Cyclin B1 protein expression and inhibits the invasion and proliferation of HeLa cells. From the docking studies, it was observed that the compound 15 has strong binding affinity with the Tubulin protein through hydrogen bond interactions. Overall, the results demonstrated that compound 15 exhibited highest activity and found to be much more potent than the parent compound 2 as well as standard nocodazole.

Antifungal activity of Leonotis nepetifolia extracts against Colletotrichum species causing bean anthracnose and their phytochemical analysis using LC-MS

Bean anthracnose results in significant yield losses, and the present primary management strategy of using synthetic fungicides is hampered by a number of factors. This study assessed the antifungal effects of aqueous, methanolic, and ethyl acetate extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia (Lamiaceae) against Colletotrichum species that cause bean anthracnose. The poisoned food technique was used to evaluate extracts in-vitro, and trials were carried out on farmer's plots. On the other hand, phytochemical analysis was done using LC-MS. Results obtained in-vitro show that the ethyl acetate extract was the most effective since it completely inhibited mycelial development at concentrations of 5 mg/mL and 2.5 mg/mL. On the other hand, the aqueous and methanolic extracts exhibited a comparable inhibitory effect, and at the higher concentration (5.0 mg/mL), a remarkable percentage of inhibition of 73.3% and 83.1% was recorded. According to field trials, bean anthracnose incidence was low and there were fewer infected pods per plant in plots treated with L. nepetifolia extracts than in the negative control. In comparison to the negative control plots, extracts-treated plots had larger weights of 100 seeds but no discernible negative effect in seed germination. LC-MS analysis indicated the presence of Linoleoyl ethanolamide, Curcumol, Deguelin, 9,10-dihydroxy-12Z-octadecenoic acid, Naringenin-7-O-glucoside, and 9S-hydroxy-10e 12z 15z-octadecatrienoic acid in the ethyl acetate extract whereas 6-Methoxyluteolin, Genistein, 5,7,3,4-tetramethoxyisoflavone, and 3,4-Dihydroxymandelic acid were identified in the aqueous extract. Antifungal activity and the presence of bioactive components revealed by extracts in this study demonstrate the potential of L. nepetifolia as a source of botanical fungicide for the management of bean anthracnose.

Chemical profile and antimicrobial activity of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. essential oils

Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. (Lamiaceae) is a naturalised medicinal plant in Brazil known as ‘cordão-de-frade’, being used in folk medicine for the treatment of a variety of conditions such as infections and inflammations. L. nepetifolia leaf and flower essential oils were isolated by hydrodistillation, and their compounds were identified by GC-MS analysis. The leaf essential oil major constituents were germacrene D (31.5%), and β-caryophyllene (19.2%), while in flower essential oil the main constituents were β-elemene (31.2%), and germacrene D (12.1%). The essential oils were investigated against a broad spectrum of bacteria and fungi using the microdilution method, exhibiting MIC50 values of 3.93–250 µg mL−1. Both oils showed excellent antifungal properties, which is a very important finding since most fungi have shown increased resistance to known antifungal agents. According to these results, the essential oils of L. nepetifolia are promising sources of new antimicrobial agents, especially for yeast.

Preliminary Physiochemical and Phytochemical Profile of Leonotis nepetaefolia

Herbal medicine has many active constituents for many diseases but the proper knowledge must be necessary for the preparationof herbal formulation otherwise active constituents will be damaged. Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) is recognized to be native to tropical Africa and southern India. In South Africa and the West Indies it is known as klip dagga, lion’s ear, Christmas, and candlesticks. Roots of the plant have been used in the treatment of asthma and bronchitis, fever, and poisoning whereas seeds are recognized in treating burns, and the whole plant is used for menstrual pains. Present investigation includes examination of morphological and microscopic characters; ash value, extractive values and phytochemical evaluations of various root extract. The purpose of research work to generated information of the standardization parameters of selected plant which helps in herbal formulations, a profound knowledge of the important herbs found in India and widely used in Ayurvedic formulation is of utmost importance.

Biological effect of natural chitosan nanoparticles with transformed roots extract of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R.Br. in an in vitro model

Nanotechnology is a rapidly growing field of science that has a considerable impact on many branches of medicine. Nanoparticles are developing at a rapid pace due to their effect which is achieved by combining them with drugs as well as their increased importance in the drug delivery system. Synthesis of chitosan nanoparticles by ionic gelation is becoming increasingly important due to its low cost and environmentally friendly approach. This preliminary study was the first one to investigate the cytotoxic effect of chitosan nanoparticles with combination of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R.Br. transformed root extract against cervical cancer (HeLa), breast cancer (MCF-7), glioma cancer (MO59J) cell lines and normal human fibroblast (Hs68) cell line. Besides, a preliminary analysis of apoptosis induced by caspase 3/7, microscopic observations of morphology changes and apoptosis-related genes expression in cancer cells have been showed. According to MTT results, the synthesized chitosan nanoparticles in combination with Leonotis nepetifolia normal and transformed root extracts showed a stronger cytotoxic effect on all tested cancer lines (HeLa, MCF-7 and MO59J), compared with the nanoparticles and the extracts alone, with IC50 = 0.608, 0.306, 0.112 mg/mL, respectively. In contrast, no cytotoxic effect was shown against the human fibroblast (Hs68) line in the tested concentration range. Preliminary induction of apoptosis showed changes in cell morphology, genes expression and caspase 3/7 activation after treatment with chitosan nanoparticles in combination with normal and transformed from Leonotis nepetifolia root extracts. These discoveries have positive implications for further studies on development of nanoparticles in anti-cancer therapy. The key objective of this work is to test the anti-cancer potential of L. nepetifolia transformed root extract obtained by agrotransformation in combination with natural chitosan nanoparticles as a component capable of enhancing the effect of the extract against various in vitro models.

Biodiesel Production Catalyzed by Lipase Extract Powder of Leonotis nepetifolia (Christmas Candlestick) Seed

This work aimed to evaluate the ability of lipase extract powder obtained from Leonotis nepetifolia seed for enzyme-catalyzed biodiesel production using Leonotis nepetifolia oil, commercial olive oil, and waste cooking oil as substrates. The lipase extract powder showed an enzymatic activity and hydrolysis percentage of 24.7 U/g and 21.31%, respectively, using commercial olive oil as a reference. Transesterification reaction conditions were 40 g of substrate, 34 °C, molar ratio oil: methanol of 1:3, lipase extract powder 20 wt%, phosphates buffer (pH 4.8) 20 wt%, and a reaction time of 8 h. Transesterification yields of 74.5%, 71.5%, and 69.3% for commercial olive oil, waste cooking oil, and Leonotis nepetifolia oil were obtained, respectively. Biodiesel physicochemical parameters were analyzed and compared with the international standards: EN 14214 (European Union) and ASTM D6751 (American Society for Testing and Materials). The biodiesel’s moisture and volatile matter percentages, iodine index, cooper strip corrosion, and methyl esters content conformed to the standards’ specifications. The fatty acid methyl ester content of the vegetable oils showed the presence of methyl oleate after enzyme-catalyzed transesterification. This study reveals that biodiesel production catalyzed by lipase extract powder from Leonotis nepetifolia could be a viable alternative, showing that transesterification yields competitive results.

Leonotis nepetifolia Transformed Root Extract Reduces Pro-Inflammatory Cytokines and Promotes Tissue Repair In Vitro.

Inflammation is closely related to asthma and its defining feature: airway remodeling. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of extracts of normal (NR) and transformed (TR) Leonotis nepetifolia roots on respiratory cells and against the gingival epithelium. Extracts from NR and TR roots were added to lung fibroblast, bronchial epithelial and gingival fibroblast cell lines, in the presence of HRV-16 infection, to determine their impact on inflammation. The expression of inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β, GM-CSF and MCAF) as well as total thiol contents were assessed. The TR extract inhibited rhinovirus-induced IL-6 and IL-1β expression in all tested airway cells (p < 0.05). Additionally, the extract decreased GM-CSF expression in bronchial epithelial cells. The tested extracts had positive effects on total thiol content in all tested cell lines. The TR root extract demonstrated wound healing potential. While both tested extracts exhibited anti-inflammatory and antioxidative effects, they were stronger for the TR extract, possibly due to higher concentrations of beneficial metabolites such as phenols and flavonoids. Additionally, wound healing activity was demonstrated for the TR root extract. These results suggest that TR root extract may become a promising therapeutic agent in the future.

Practice makes the expert: The importance of training volunteers in the generation of phenological data from photographs of biodiversity observation platforms.

Phenology studies the time at which events in the life cycle of a species occur sand how they are related to environmental cues. Patterns of change in phenology at different scales can be used as an indicator of ecosystem changes and climate change, but the data necessary to detect these changes can be difficult to obtain due to their temporal and regional dimensions. Citizen science can contribute to generate large amounts of data on phenological changes at wide geographical scales that would be almost impossible for professional scientists to generate, but the quality and reliability of these data are often questioned. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of a biodiversity observation citizen science platform based on photographic information as a potential source of large-scale phenological information, and to identify the key benefits and limitations of this type of information source. We used the Naturalista photographic databases for two invasive species in a tropical region: Leonotis nepetifolia and Nicotiana glauca. The photographs were classified into different phenophases (initial growth, immature flower, mature flower, dry fruit) by three groups of volunteers: a group of experts, a trained group with information on the biology and phenology of both species, and an untrained group. The degree of reliability of the phenological classifications was estimated for each group of volunteers and each phenophase. The degree of reliability of the phenological classification of the untrained group was generally very low for all phenophases. The group of trained volunteers showed accuracy levels for the reproductive phenophases that equaled the degree of reliability among the expert group, regardless of species, and was consistent across phenophases. We conclude that volunteer classification of photographic information contained in biodiversity observation platforms can provide phenological information with high geographic coverage and an increasing temporal coverage on general phenological patterns of species with wide distributions but has limited applicability in the identification of exact start and end dates. and peaks of the different phenophases.

Antiproliferiative Activity of Biogenic Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized from Leonotis nepetifolia (L) on Human Cancer Cell lines

Currently, nanobiotechnology is the growing science in the field of medicine employing silver nanoparticles to deliver drugs to target cancer cells and proved to be potential anticancer agents. In this study, silver nanoparticles were synthesized using leaf extract of Leonotis nepetifolia (L). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry data showed a total of 13 phytochemical constituents identified from ethanolic leaf extract of Leonotis nepetifolia (L). The effect of physicochemical factors such as the reaction time, temperature, concentration of Silver nitrate, concentration of leaf extract and pH in the synthesis of silver nanoparticles. For biosynthesis, the optimal conditions were 1 mM silver nitrate, 0.1 ml of leaf extract at 80° for 90 min. Ultra violet-visible spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy; high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and various techniques characterized the synthesized AgNPs. The silver nanoparticles obtained had absorbance maxima at 398 nm, were spherical in shape, had an average particle size of 11.32 nm, polydispersity index 0.44, the zeta potential of -23.75.69 mv and were crystalline. A cytotoxicity study was conducted on two human cancer cell lines, pancreatic and ovarian, using sulforhodamine B assay. We had compared the cytotoxicity of biogenic silver nanoparticles with that of synthetic silver nanoparticles. Treatment of pancreatic and ovarian with different concentrations of silver nanoparticles inhibited the cell viability with half maximal inhibitory concentration values of 25.4 μg/ml and 23.9 μg/ml. In contrast, silver nanoparticles inhibited cell viability with half maximal inhibitory concentration values of 48.2 μg/ ml and 42 μg/ml, which were statistically significant (p<0.001), when compared with that of doxorubicin and Camptothecin. Leonotis nepetifolia mediated silver nanoparticles effectively reduced the proliferation of pancreatic and ovarian cancer cell lines than that of synthetic nanoparticles.

English

Fasciolosis is a major problem to livestock production and is considered an emerging health hazard to humans and other animals. An increase in the prevalence of anthelmintic-resistant helminth strains, drug residues in animal products poses a challenge in the control of the disease necessitating research for alternatives. Here, we investigated the presence of anthelmintic phytochemicals in the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia dry leaves and their activity on Fasciola gigantica flukes. The flukes were isolated from the infected liver collected from the abattoir maintained in normal saline solution at 37&deg;C. Cold maceration and infusion methods were used for ethanolic and aqueous extractions, respectively. Phytochemical screening and quantification of target phytochemicals were done following standard methods. The percentage mortality caused by each treatment at varying concentrations (2, 6 and 10 mg/ml) was determined and observations were made at three 2 h intervals, and compared with negative control. The lethal concentrations and lethal time for 50% (LC50 and LT50) and 90% (LC90 and LT90) of the flukes were estimated for each treatment. Ethanolic and aqueous extracts of the plant contained anthelmintic phytochemicals. Tannins had a higher concentration in the aqueous extract (0.2362(0.002) mg/ml; p &lt; 0.01) than in the ethanolic extract (0.005(0.001) mg/ml). LC50 and LC90 decreased time of exposure, the aqueous extract showing the lowest LC50 of 0.698 mg/ml and LC90 of 4.435 mg/ml compared to the ethanolic extract with LC50 of 2.521 mg/ml and LC90 of 10.264 mg/ml after 6 h of exposure. LT50 and LT90 decreased with the dosage of the treatments, the aqueous extract had lower LT50 of 2.474 h and LT90 of 5.025 h than that of the ethanolic extract at LT50 of 2.673 h and LT90 of 7.282 h at 10 mg/ml dosage. The anthelmintic activity of L. nepetifolia extracts is concentration and time of exposure dependent. The aqueous extract of L. nepetifolia has higher activity against F. gigantica than the ethanolic extract. Key words: Anthelmintic, Fasciola gigantica, fascioliasis, Leonotis nepetifolia.

Identification of a New Compound Hederacine - B from the Chloroform Extract of Leonotis nepetifolia Leaves

Leonotis nepetifolia is one of the most common aromatic plants (Family Lamiaceae) traditionally used for its ethnomedicinal potential. The plant is known for its antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, antispasmodic and antiasthmatic potential. The FTIR, NMR and MS study of the chloroform extract of this plant showed the presence of hederacine- B. Hederacine- B is the first report from Leonotis nepetifolia. The availability of hederacine – B also indicates that the plant might be helpful in cancer treatment.

Leonotis nepetifolia Flower Bud Extract Mediated Green Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles, Their Characterization, and In Vitro Evaluation of Biological Applications.

Biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the green matrix is an emerging trend and is considered green nanotechnology because it involves a simple, low-cost, and environmentally friendly process. The present research aimed to synthesize silver nanoparticles from a Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R.Br. flower bud aqueous extract, characterize these nanoparticles, and perform in vitro determination of their biological applications. UV-Vis spectra were used to study the characterization of biosynthesized L. nepetifolia-flower-bud-mediated AgNPs (LnFb-AgNPs); an SPR absorption maximum at 418 nm confirmed the formation of LnFb-AgNPs. The presumed phytoconstituents subjected to reduction in the silver ions were revealed by FTIR analysis. XRD, TEM, EDS, TGA, and zeta potential with DLS analysis revealed the crystalline nature, particle size, elemental details, surface charge, thermal stability, and spherical shape, with an average size of 24.50 nm. In addition, the LnFb-AgNPs were also tested for antimicrobial activity and exhibited a moderate zone of inhibition against the selected pathogens. Concentration-dependent antioxidant activity was observed in the DPPH assay. Further, the cytotoxicity increased proportionate to the increasing concentration of the biosynthesized LnFb-AgNPs with a maximum effect at 200 μg/mL by showing the inhibition cell viability percentages and an IC50 of 35.84 μg/mL. Subsequently, the apoptotic/necrotic potential was determined using Annexin V/Propidium Iodide staining by the flow cytometry method. Significant early and late apoptosis cell populations were observed in response to the pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PANC-1) cell line, as demonstrated by the obtained results. In conclusion, the study's findings suggest that the LnFb-AgNPs could serve as remedial agents in a wide range of biomedical applications.

Phytochemical Analysis, GC-MS Profiling, and In Vitro Evaluation of Biological Applications of Different Solvent Extracts of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R.Br. Flower Buds.

Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R.Br.is a medicinally important herb belonging to the family Lamiaceae. The plant is typically found in tropical regions, and its leaf and root extracts are renowned for their ethno-botanical and therapeutic applications. This study was designed to determine the presence of various bioactive components, and to evaluate antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-proliferative activities. The preliminary phytochemical screening and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of different solvent extracts revealed the presence of various bioactive compounds, of which methanol extract showed 24 compounds, petroleum ether extract revealed 26 compounds, and 24 compounds in hexane extracts. The major bioactive components including λ-sitosterol (16.20%) in methanol extract, 1-nonadecanol (15.48%) in petroleum extract, and eicosane (13.22%) in hexane extract have been reported with various bio-therapeutic applications. In addition, the flower bud methanolic extract of L. nepetifolia exhibited inhibitory potential against all tested bacterial and fungal pathogens. The DPPH radical scavenging assay revealed that methanolic extract possessed the highest antioxidant activity. The scavenging activity increased in a concentration-dependent manner, as indicated by a 74% inhibition rate at 1000µg/ml. Furthermore, the in vitro cytotoxic effects of the methanolic extract on the HepG2 cell line were evaluated. The IC50 value of methanolic extract against HepG2 cells was determined to be 83.28µg/ml. The findings reveal that different solvent extracts of L. nepetifolia flower buds contain a significant amount of various bioactive phytochemicals with antioxidant and anticancer activities; and thus, the plant could serve as a potential source of pharmacological applications.

Phytochemical Screening, and In Vitro Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Dermocosmetic Activities of Four Moroccan Plants: Halimium antiatlanticum, Adenocarpus artemisiifolius, Pistacia lentiscus and Leonotis nepetifolia

In this study, four Moroccan plants, Halimium antiatlanticum, Adenocarpus artemisiifolius, Pistacia lentiscus and Leonotis nepetifolia, were evaluated for their phytoconstituents and biological activities. Methanolic extracts of these plants were obtained by Soxhlet apparatus, phytochemical screening was performed, and the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined. Then, the antioxidant and dermocosmetic activities of the methanolic extracts were evaluated. The obtained results revealed that the leaves and/or aerial parts contained tannins, polyphenols, flavonoids, coumarins, carotenoids, terpenoids and saponins. The higher total phenolic content values were recorded on Pistacia lentiscus and Halimium antiatlanticum with 396.64 ± 30.79 and 304.96 ± 55.61 mgGAE/gDW, respectively. The antioxidant activity was measured by DPPH, ABTS and FRAP assays, and showed that Pistacia lentiscus and Halimium antiatlanticum were the most active extracts, with, respectively, IC50 values of 3.705 ± 0.445 and 5.037 ± 0.122 µg/mL for DPPH. The same results were observed for the FRAP and ABTS assays. Those extracts also showed a strong collagenase inhibitory activity at 200 µg/mL, with 78.51 ± 2.27% for Pistacia lentiscus and 73.10 ± 8.52% for Halimium antiatlanticum. Adenocarpus artemisiifolius showed the highest elastase inhibition rate, with 76.30 ± 5.29%. This study disclosed the dermocosmetic potential of Halimium antiatlanticum and Adenocarpus artemisiifolius, two Moroccan endemic plants that can be traditionally used by local populations or exploited by the cosmetic industry.

In vitro and In silico Studies on Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. Root Extract against Cancer Cells.

Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br. (Lamiaceae) is a shrub traditionally used to alleviate inflammatory conditions. The present study aimed at investigating the biological activity of methanolic nontransformed and transformed Rhizobium rhizogenes root extracts from L. nepetifolia against human melanoma cells. Cytotoxicity and genotoxicity properties, the impact on topoisomerase I activity, and proapoptotic activity were evaluated by the MTT test, comet assay, topoisomerase I assay, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis. Moreover, the expressions of p53 were examined by qPCR and Western blot analysis. Docking studies were conducted to assess the potential interactions of the identified phytochemicals with the p53 binding protein Mdm-2, and computational analyses exhibited their antioxidant potential. Both extracts showed cytotoxic potential against human melanoma cells, but generally the activity was more potent for transformed roots than untransformed (IC50 760 μg/mL and 980 μg/mL, respectively). A similar effect was revealed during the evaluation of genotoxic and proapoptotic properties. Moreover, the expression of p53 was also found to be increased after extract treatment. The most dominant identified compounds in both extracts were as follows: (+)- catechin, p-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, and (+)-rosmarinic acid. Docking studies and computational analysis showed that (+)-rosmarinic acid possesses the highest binding affinity to the p53 binding protein, Mdm-2, and exhibits the best antioxidant property from the most commonly identified phytochemicals. Our findings revealed the potential of L. nepetifolia transformed root extract as a source of bioactive compounds with cytotoxic, genotoxic, and proapoptotic activity against human melanoma cells as well as antioxidant properties.

Further report on the chemical constituents of the n-hexane extract of Leonotis nepetaefolia (L.) R. Br (Lamiaceae)

Introduction: Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br, a species of the family Lamiaceae, has some interesting biological activities, such as antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. This paper describes the structural elucidation of seven compounds isolated from Leonotis nepetifolia collected in Xuyen Moc district, Ba Ria–Vung Tau Province, in June 2018. Methods: Phytochemical investigations of the n-hexane extract of Leonotis nepetifolia led to the isolation of seven pure compounds. Their chemical structures were elucidated by extensive MS, 1D and 2D-NMR spectroscopic analysis and comparison with previously published data. Results: Seven compounds, namely, (E)-10-oxooctadeca-8-enoic acid (1), ergosterol peroxide (2), turmeronol A (3), methyl (E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)propenoate (4), methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (5), methyl (E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)propenoate (6), and alpinumisoflavone (7), were identified. Conclusions: Although these compounds are known in other species, this is the first time they have been reported in Leonotis nepetifolia.

Review: Pharmacological Activity, Chemical Composition and Medical Importance of Leonotis nepetifolia R.Br.

India is perhaps the most unique country in the world, with the richest tradition of indigenous and health care medical practices. Most of these practices are unique and known to very few individuals or communities. Leonotis nepetifolia Family (Lamiaceae) commonly known as ‘Klip dagga’ which has a long history of several traditional medicinal uses in many countries in the world. A huge number of phytoconstituents have been reported from the plant are allenic acid, iridoids, glycosides, terpenoids, and many more. This plant exhibited various biological activities and has been attributed to a variety of physiological effects like antifungal, antidiabetic, anxiolytic, arthritic, and many more activities. This literature review presents important species covering phytochemistry and pharmacological activities aspects systematically.

Nepetifoliol - a new glutinane-triterpenoid from Leonotis nepetifolia

A new glutinane-triterpenoid, nepetifoliol (1), together with two known compounds, dymacrin D (2), and (+)-ar-tumerone (3) were isolated from the n-hexane extract of the aerial parts of Leonotis nepetifolia. Their chemical structures were elucidated by spectroscopic data analysis as well as the comparison of their NMR data with the ones published in the literatures. A putative biosynthetic pathway for the formation of the new compound (anti-diaxial-5,6-diol) (1) from the precursor triterpene glutinol was proposed. Compounds (2), (3) and some previously reported ones, isolated from this extract, including 5α-stigmasta-22-ene-3-one (4), friedelin (5), chrysophanol (6), physcion (7), and 4'-O-methylalpinumisoflavone (8) were evaluated for their α-glucosidase inhibition. Among tested compounds, 3 and 6 showed good activities with their IC50 values of 5.3 ± 0.2 and 4.9 ± 0.3 µg/mL, respectively, comparing to the positive control, acarbose (IC50 127.7 ± 0.2 µg/mL).

Preliminary Phytochemical Analysis and Evaluation of the Biological Activity of Leonotis nepetifolia (L.) R. Br Transformed Roots Extracts Obtained through Rhizobium rhizogenes-Mediated Transformation.

According to the present knowledge, this is the first report on establishing transformed root cultures of Leonotis nepetifolia after Rhizobium rhizogenes-mediated transformation. The preliminary phytochemical analysis showed differences in the content of phenols and flavonoids in transformed and nontransformed roots. The dominant compounds in the analyzed extracts were (+)-catechin (5464 and 6808 µg/g DW), p-coumaric acid (2549 and 4907 µg/g DW), m-coumaric acid (1508 and 2048 µg/g DW) and rosmarinic acid (1844 and 2643 µg/g DW) for nontransformed (LNNR) and transformed (LNTR4) roots, respectively. Initial biological studies carried out on LNNR, and LNTR4 extracts showed a cytotoxic effect on the A549 lung, HCC1937 breast and leukemia NALM-6 cell lines, antioxidants, as well as repair and protection against DNA damage induced by H2O2 in HUVEC cells. Due to the stronger effect of the LNTR4 root extract, which can be a relatively efficient and cheap source of bioactive secondary metabolites, further biological analyses are needed to discover in detail their potentially valuable biological properties.