Spectrometric analysis, phytoconstituents isolation and evaluation of in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of Tunisian Cistanche violacea (Desf)

Chemical composition, pharmacological effects, and parasitic mechanisms of Cistanche deserticola: An update

BACKGROUND

C. deserticola, a highly esteemed medicinal herb in China, commonly referred to as "desert ginseng", has been renowned for its unique pharmacological properties in clinical use for countless centuries. Despite its long-standing reputation, our current comprehension of its active components and pharmacological effects remains shallow and incomplete. Moreover, the unclear mechanism underlying its pharmacological actions hinders the advancement and utilization of novel drug formulations derived from C. deserticola. Furthermore, as a unique parasitic plant, the current research on its parasitic mechanisms is limited, hampering efforts to enhance both its medicinal composition and overall yields.

PURPOSE

The objective of this review is to meticulously assess, condense, and evaluate the salient aspects pertaining to the chemical composition, pharmacological impacts, and parasitic mechanisms of C. deserticola. Furthermore, the aim is to furnish valuable references that can inform and guide future research endeavors and developmental activities related to C. deserticola.

METHODS

This review adheres to the rigorous standards outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. A thorough examination and analysis of pertinent research findings, published up to February 6, 2024, has been conducted. Databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, and Science Direct were exhaustively searched using targeted keywords and operators to delve into the chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, and parasitic mechanisms exhibited by C. deserticola.

RESULTS

The review comprehensively summarizes the advancements in research regarding the chemical composition, pharmacological impacts, and toxicological safety of C. deserticola. It delves into the parasitic mechanisms of C. deserticola from three distinct angles: seed germination, haustorium induction, and recognition of signal substances. Furthermore, the review pinpoints pertinent issues and offers insightful recommendations for future exploration and research pertaining to C. deserticola.

CONCLUSION

In recent years, C. deserticola has garnered considerable attention due to its distinctive pharmacological properties. This comprehensive review aims to establish a scientific foundation for the development of potential novel drugs and the enhancement of both the quantity and quality of C. deserticola. It accomplishes this by meticulously analyzing and evaluating the latest research findings pertaining to its chemical composition, pharmacological impacts, and parasitic mechanisms.

Phytochemical analysis and biological activities of the aerial parts of Odontites vulgaris Moench

In this work, the first specific phytochemical analysis on Odontites vulgaris Moench collected in Central Italy was performed. The aerial parts ethanolic extract was studied and eight compounds were identified: pheophytin a (1), aucubin (2), catalpol (3), shanzhiside methyl ester (4), melampyroside (5), 8-epi-loganin (6), caryoptoside (7) and quinic acid (8). To the best of our knowledge, in this study, compounds (7-8) resulted to be isolated from the genus for the first time. The chemophenetic markers of the family and order were evidenced and several important ecological conclusions could be drawn. The ethanolic extract was also tested for several biological activities showing high effects in the antioxidant, cytoprotective and aflatoxin B1 production inhibitory assays. A brief explanation on these activities under the phytochemical standpoint was also included.

Effect of the Harvest Season of Anthyllis henoniana Stems on Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities: Phytochemical Profiling of Their Ethyl Acetate Extracts

Anthyllis henoniana stems were harvested in two seasons: winter and spring (February and May 2021). In this study, we investigated the antioxidant (DPPH, ABTS, FRAP and TAC) and antimicrobial activities, total phenolic contents and total flavonoid contents of the obtained extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol). The results showed that ethyl acetate extract from stems harvested in winter exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, while ethyl acetate extract from the stems harvested in spring showed the most potent antibacterial and antifungal activities. To explain these differences, we investigated the phytochemical composition of these two extracts using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. Therefore, 45 compounds were detected, from which we identified 20 compounds (flavonoids, triterpenoids, chalcones and phenolic acids); some were specific to the harvest month while others were common for both periods. Some of the major compounds detected in ethyl acetate (spring) were dihydrochalcone (Kanzonol Y, 8.2%) and flavanone (sophoraflavanone G, 5.9%), previously recognized for their antimicrobial effects. We therefore concluded that the difference in activities observed for the two harvest periods depends on the chemical composition of the extracts and the relative abundance of each compound.

Studies on Cistanches Herba: A Bibliometric Analysis

As a famous tonic herb, Cistanches Herba is known for its broad medicinal functions, especially its hormone balancing, anti-aging, anti-dementia, anti-tumor, anti-oxidative, neuroprotective, and hepatoprotective effects. This study aims to provide a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of studies on Cistanche and to identify research hotspots and frontier topics on the genus. Based on the metrological analysis software CiteSpace, 443 Cistanche related papers were quantitatively reviewed. The results indicate that 330 institutions from 46 countries have publications in this field. China was the leading country in terms of research importance and number of publication (335 articles). In the past decades, studies on Cistanche have mainly focused on its rich active substances and pharmacological effects. Although the research trend shows that Cistanche has grown from an endangered species to an important industrial plant, its breeding and cultivation continue to be important areas for research. In the future, the application of Cistanche species as functional foods may be a new research trend. In addition, active collaborations among researchers, institutions, and countries are expected.

New Specific α-Glucosidase Inhibitor Flavonoid from Thymelaea tartonraira Leaves: Structure Elucidation, Biological and Molecular Docking Studies

The phytochemical investigation of Thymelaea tartonraira leaves led to the isolation and characterization of six compounds, including one new flavonoid glycoside identified as hypolaetin 8-O-β-D-galactopyranoside (4) along with five known compounds, daphnoretin (1), triumbelletin (2), genkwanin (3), tiliroside (5) and yuankanin (6). Their structures were established based on spectroscopic methods, such as UV, IR, NMR, and HR-ESI-MS. Triumbelletin (2) and tiliroside (5) were isolated for the first time from T. tartonraira leaves. The antioxidant property of all isolated compounds was tested based on DPPH, FRAP and total antioxidant capacity assays. Compound 4 displayed an antioxidant potency more interesting than vitamin C with an IC₅₀ =15.00±0.50 μg/ml, followed by compound 5. Furthermore, the both compounds 4 and 5 were tested for their α-amylase inhibitory activity in-vitro. Compound 4 displayed higher potency to inhibit α-amylase, with an IC₅₀ =46.49±2.32 μg/ml, than compound 5, with an IC₅₀ =184.2±9.2 μg/ml, while the reference compound acarbose presented the highest potency to inhibit α-amylase with an IC₅₀ =0.44±0.022 μg/ml. Compound 4 displayed a strong inhibitory ability of α-glucosidase activity approximately twice more than the reference compound, acarbose, with IC₅₀ values of 60.00±3.00 and 125.00±6.25 μg/ml, respectively. Thus, compound 4 exhibited a specific inhibitory activity for α-glucosidase. The molecular docking studies have supported our findings and suggested that compound 4 has been involved in various binding interactions within the active site of both enzymes α-amylase and α-glucosidase.

Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Erodium arborescens Aerial Part Extracts and Characterization by LC-HESI-MS2 of Its Acetone Extract

The phytochemical analysis of antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Erodium arborescens aerial part extracts constitute the focus of this research. The chemical composition of an acetone extract was investigated using LC-HESI-MS², which revealed the presence of 70 compounds. The major identified components were tannin derivatives. Total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents were assessed in plant extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol). The results showed that the acetone extract exhibited the highest contents of polyphenols and flavonoids, 895.54 and 36.39 mg QE/g DE, respectively. Furthermore, when compared to other extracts, Erodium arborescens acetone extract was endowed with the highest antioxidant activity with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) tests. In addition, the four extracts of Erodium arborescens showed variable degrees of antimicrobial activity against the tested strains, and the interesting activity was obtained with acetone and methanol extracts.

A Comparative Study of Diospyros malabarica (Gaub) Extracts in Various Polarity-Dependent Solvents for Evaluation of Phytoconstituents and Biological Activities

Keeping in mind the ascribed repute of Diospyros malabarica (D. malabarica), this investigation was commenced to assess the effect of diverse solvents on extraction yields, phytochemical components and antioxidant capability, and in vitro biological activities of D. malabarica for pharmaceutically active constituents to combat various infections. To screen phytochemicals both qualitatively (flavonoids, terpenoid, saponins, tannins) and quantitatively like total phenolic and flavonoid contents, Diospyros malabarica parts include the following: root, leaves, bark, stem, ripe, and unripe fruit were sequentially extracted with organic solvents such as petroleum ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, methanol, and water in increasing order of polarity from less polar to more polar solvents. Furthermore, biological activities such as antibacterial, antifungal, anticancer, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory were explored. The results revealed that all the tested solvents displayed a vital role in the extraction yield, the content of phytochemicals, and the studied biological activities. Methanol was found as the best solvent followed by the ethanol for the extraction, representing the highest extraction yield (18.3%), rich diversity of phytochemicals, and the highest total phenolic contents (602 ± 0.001 μg EAG/mg of extract) and total flavonoid contents (455 ± 0.6 μg EQ/mg of extract) in bark extract. Furthermore, methanol bark extract showed high in vitro antibacterial activity (30.25 mm ± 0.9), antifungal activity (18.25 mm ± 0.2), anticancer activity (48%), antidiabetic activity (68%) and anti-inflammatory activity (62%) followed by ethanol amongst other extracts of D. malabarica. Accordingly, methanol might be as an ideal solvent to get maximum content of phytochemicals, promising antioxidants, and in vitro biological activities from bark extract amongst other extracts of D. malabarica compared to pet ether, ethyl acetate, and dichloromethane and may act as free radical rummager because phytochemical constituents exhibit antioxidant capability. Our findings suggest that phytochemical compounds (flavonoids, tannins, phenols, saponins, and terpenoids) found in the bark extract of D. malabarica may be attributed to evaluate potent anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and antifungal activities.

HESI-MS/MS Analysis of Phenolic Compounds from Calendula aegyptiaca Fruits Extracts and Evaluation of Their Antioxidant Activities

Considering medicinal plants as an inexhaustible source of active ingredients that may be easily isolated using simple and inexpensive techniques, phytotherapy is becoming increasingly popular. Various experimental approaches and analytical methods have been used to demonstrate that the genus Calendula (Asteraceae) has a particular richness in active ingredients, especially phenolic compounds, which justifies the growing interest in scientific studies on this genus’ species. From a chemical and biological viewpoint, Calendula aegyptiaca is a little-studied plant. For the first time, high-performance liquid chromatography combined with negative electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-HESI-MS) was used to analyze methanolic extracts of Calendula aegyptiaca (C. aegyptiaca) fruits. Thirty-five molecules were identified. Flavonoids (47.87%), phenolic acids (5.18%), and saponins (6.47%) formed the majority of these chemicals. Rutin, caffeic acid hexoside, and Soyasaponin βg’ were the most abundant molecules in the fruit methanolic extract, accounting for 17.49% of total flavonoids, 2.32 % of total phenolic acids, and 0.95% of total saponins, respectively. The antioxidant activity of the fruit extracts of C. aegyptiaca was investigated using FRAP, TAC, and DPPH as well as flavonoids and total phenols content. Because the phenolic components were more extractable using polar solvents, the antioxidant activity of the methanolic extract was found to be higher than that of the dichloromethane and hexane extracts. The IC50 value for DPPH of methanolic extract was found to be 0.041 mg·mL⁻¹. Our findings showed that C. aegyptiaca is an important source of physiologically active compounds.