Cytotoxicity screening of some South American Solanaceae

Cytotoxic Activities of Different Iranian Solanaceae and Lamiaceae Plants and Bioassay-Guided Study of an Active Extract from Salvia lachnocalyx

Methanol (MeOH), dichloromethane (DCM) and 80% MeOH extractions of fourteen medicinal plants of the families Solanaceae and Lamiaceae collected from different area of Iran were tested for their cytotoxic potential against MOLT-4 human cancer cell lines. Cytotoxicity of the tested plants indicated that 11 plants had one or two active extracts (IC50 ≤50): MeOH extracts of the shoots of Thymus trautvetteri, Solanum luteum and stems of Lycium shawii; DCM extracts of the shoots of Thymus kotschyanus, Salvia persepolitana, Ballota aucheri, Nepeta glomerulosa, Hyoscyamus tenuicaulis, Salvia lachnocalyx, Salvia sharifii as well as the stems of Salvia verticillata and the roots of Salvia multicaulis and S. lachnocalyx; 80% MeOH extracts of the shoots of T. trautvetteri, S. luteum and the stems of L. shawii. The DCM extract of the aerial parts of S. lachnocalyx as one of the most active species was subjected to the cytotoxic bioassay-guided fractionation and purification using combination of chromatography methods. The bioassay-guided fractionation of DCM extract of the shoots of S. lachnocalyx led to the isolation of two cytotoxic compounds: (2 Z,6 Z,10 Z,14 E)-geranylfarnesol (1), a novel natural product, and spathulenol (2). Both of the isolated compounds, especially 1 (IC50 range: 9.6 −20.2 μg/mL), showed good cytotoxic effects against 3 human cancer cell lines, MOLT-4, MCF-7 and HT-29.

Antimicrobial properties and phytochemical constituents of the leaves of African mistletoe (Tapinanthus dodoneifolius (DC) Danser) (Loranthaceae): an ethnomedicinal plant of Hausaland, Northern Nigeria

African mistletoe (Tapinanthus dodoneifolius (DC) Danser) called 'Kauchi' in Hausa is a hemi-plant parasite used ethnomedicinally by the Hausa and the Fulani tribes of Northern Nigeria as a remedy for several human and animal ailments that include stomach ache, diarrhoea, dysentery, wound and cancer. Screening of the plant, obtained from 14 different hosts, revealed a wide spectrum of antimicrobial activities against certain multiple drug resistant bacterial and fungal isolates of farm animals. Interestingly, the inhibition of the growth of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Bacillus sp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp., Proteus sp. and Pseudomonas sp., bacterial sp. known to be associated with either crown gall or gastrointestinal tract and wound infections, by extracts of T. dodoneifolius gives credence to the ethnomedicinal usage of the plant. Phytochemical screening showed the common occurrence of anthraquinones, saponins, and tannins, a rare presence of alkaloids and the absence of phlobatannins in the hemi-parasite. Moreover, the antimicrobial activity and the presence or distribution of phytochemical substances in T. dodoneifolius appeared to be partly dependent on the host plant species.