Antimicrobial, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Effects of Essential Oil, Fatty Acids and Bioactive Compounds of Beta vulgaris var. crassa (Fodder Beet)

Beta vulgaris var. crassa is undoubtedly a very important plant that is not used enough in the world. In this study, it was aimed to determine the cytotoxic activities of the components (essential oils, fatty acids, total phenol and flavonoid) found in the leaf parts of Beta vulgaris var. crassa against PC-3, MCF-7 and HeLa cancer cell lines. In addition, the effectiveness of these ingredients against bacteria and fungi that can cause serious health problems in humans was tested. In experiments, three tumor cell lines were exposed to various plant extract concentrations (31.25, 62.5, 125, 250, 500 and 1000 µg/mL) for 72 h. It was found that plant extracts showed high (SI: 2.14 > 2) cytotoxicity to PC-3 cells, moderate (SI: 1.62 < 2) to HeLa cells, and low (SI: 0.93 < 2) cytotoxicity to MCF-7 cells. Also, different plant extract concentrations were found to cause an inhibition rate of 16.3-22.3% in Staphylococcus aureus, 16.8-23.5% in Streptococcus pyogenes and 12-16.2% in Cutibacterium acnes. Similarly, inhibition rates were determined between 9.5-20.7% for Candida albicans, 3.5-7.7% for Candida auris, and 5.5-15.1% for Candida glabrata. The results showed that the plant extract exhibited a concentration-dependent cytotoxic and antimicrobial effect against both cancer cell lines and microbial pathogens.

Graphical Abstract

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s12088-024-01269-8.

Antimicrobial activity and chemical profile of wood vinegar from eucalyptus (Eucalyptus urophylla x Eucalyptus grandis - clone I144) and bamboo (Bambusa vulgaris)

Microbial resistance to drugs is a public health problem; therefore, there is a search for alternatives to replace conventional products with natural agents. One of the potential antimicrobial agents is wood vinegar derived from the carbonization of lignocellulosic raw materials. The objectives of the present work were to evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal action of two kinds of wood vinegar (WV), one of Eucalyptus urograndis wood and another of Bambusa vulgaris biomass, and determine their chemical profile. The antimicrobial effect was assessed against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enteritidis, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Candida albicans. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations were determined. Micrographs of the microorganisms before and after exposure to both kinds of wood vinegar were obtained by scanning electron microscopy. The chemical profile of the eucalyptus and bamboo vinegar was carried out by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Both types of WV presented significant antimicrobial activity, with the bamboo one having a higher efficiency. Both studied pyroligneous extracts seem promising for developing natural antimicrobials due to their efficiency against pathogens. GC/MS analyses demonstrated that the chemical profiles of both kinds of WV were similar but with some significant differences. The major component of the eucalyptus vinegar was furfural (17.2%), while the bamboo WV was phenol (15.3%). Several compounds in both WVs have proven antimicrobial activity, such as acetic acid, furfural, phenol, cresols, guaiacol, and xylenols. Together, they are the major in the chemical composition of the organic fraction of both WVs. Bamboo vinegar had a more expressive content of organic acids. Micrographs of microorganisms taken after exposure to both kinds of wood vinegar displayed several cell modifications. The potential of both types of wood vinegar as a basis for natural antimicrobial products seems feasible due to their proven effect on inhibiting the microorganisms' growth assessed in this experiment.

Targeted Separation of COX-2 Inhibitor from Pterocephalus hookeri Using Preparative High-Performance Liquid Chromatography Directed by the Affinity Solid-Phase Extraction HPLC System

Pterocephalus hookeri, as a kind of popular traditional Tibetan medicine, is reputed to treat inflammatory related diseases. In the present work, a cyclooxygenase-2 functionalized affinity solid-phase extraction HPLC system was developed and combined with preparative-HPLC for rapidly screening and separating cyclooxygenase-2 ligand from P. hookeri extracts. Firstly, ligands of cyclooxygenase-2 were screened from extracts by affinity solid-phase extraction HPLC system. Then directed by the screening results, the recognized potential active compounds were targeted separated. As a result, the major cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor of P. hookeri was obtained with a purity of >95%, which was identified as sylvestroside I. To test the accuracy of this method, the anti-inflammatory activity of sylvestroside I was inspected in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 cells. The results show that sylvestroside I significantly suppressed the release of prostaglandin E₂ with dose-dependent, which was in good agreement with the screening result of the affinity solid-phase method. This method of integration of screening and targeted separation proved to be very efficient for the recognition and isolation of cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors from natural products.

Antioxidant-rich fraction of Amomum subulatum fruits mitigates experimental methotrexate-induced oxidative stress by regulating TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 proinflammatory cytokines

The culinary spice Amomum subulatum was assessed for its phytochemical composition, in vitro antioxidant potential, and in vivo ameliorating effect against methotrexate (MTX)-induced toxicities. Phytochemical analysis of methanolic extract of A. subulatum dry fruits (MEAS) confirmed the presence of different bioactive secondary metabolites. MEAS scavenged reactive free radicals and inhibited lipid peroxidation in vitro. To confirm the antioxidant efficiency of MEAS, in vivo experiment was carried out in which MTX was administered to induce oxidative stress. Co-administration of MEAS reduced MTX-induced hepatic, renal, and pulmonary toxicities via significantly (p < .01) enhancing antioxidant status and reducing oxidative stress. MTX treatment significantly (p < .01) increased liver and kidney toxicity markers and increased proinflammatory cytokine (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) levels. However, co-administration of MEAS significantly (p < .01) reduced their levels, and tissue histopathology confirmed the protective effect of MEAS in maintaining normal tissue architecture following MTX treatment. Protective effect of MEAS is accredited to the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties exhibited by bioactive compounds in MEAS. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Amomum subulatum (Black cardamom) is a folkloric and culinary spice used for its organoleptic, nutritional, and medicinal properties. This study demonstrated the phytochemical composition and antioxidant potential of methanolic extract of A. subulatum dry fruits (MEAS). Toxicities associated with MTX therapy limit its clinical application. MEAS attenuated methotrexate-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and associated organ damages, suggesting the possible therapeutic application of A. subulatum in reducing oxidative stress and associated diseases. Our results showed that A. subulatum is a potential functional food, which may be used for the betterment of health due to its richness in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals.