Antioxidant properties, proximate content and cytotoxic activity of Echinophora tournefortii Jaub. & Spach

Echinophora tournefortii Jaub. & Spach: Evaluation of the effect on indomethacin-induced gastric ulser in rats and phytochemical analyses by LC-HRMS

E. tournefortii has wound healing properties in folk medicine and 5% infusions are used for stomach ulcers. It is also used in colds, abdominal pain, digestive problems, as an appetite enhancer and antispasmodic. For this purpose, in the study biochemical and histopathological evaluation of the ulcer protective effect of the extract obtained from the E. tournefortii in the indomethacin-induced gastric ulcer model in rats was aimed to develop new strategies in the treatment of ulcers. The phytochemical profile of the plant was elucidated for the first time by LC-HRMS in this study. The results indicate that, in terms of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, IL-6, PGE2, NF-κB, VEGF, NO, COX-1 and COX-2 biochemical parameters, E. tournefortii protects the gastric mucosa to the inflammation, and also modulates the PGE2 pathway, and has a similar effect or even a more positive effect than the reference substance lansoprazole. According to LC-HRMS analysis results, chlorogenic acid, genistein and quinic acid were the main constituents of E. tournefortii extract with 1397.081, 1014.177 and 992.527μg/g extract, respectively. Considering the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of these phenolic components, it is thought that the major components are responsible for the anti-ulcer activity of the E. tournefortii extract.

Echinophora tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana-Study of the Histochemical Localization of Essential Oil

BACKGROUND

Echinophora tenuifolia L. subsp. sibthorpiana is a perennial, aromatic plant used in traditional folk medicine and cuisine of the Mediterranean and the Middle East. However, scholars have not fully studied the pharmacological potential of the herb, and the scientific data on this plant species are limited. This study aimed to evaluate the chemical composition of the essential oil (EO) obtained from the aerial parts of E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana growing wild in Bulgaria and to perform histochemical analysis.

METHODS

A microscopic histochemical analysis and gas chromatography with mass spectrometry were performed.

RESULTS

The histochemical analysis confirmed the presence of terpenes in the stem and leaf of E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana. The phenylpropanoid methyleugenol was identified as the main compound in the EO, representing 48.13% of the total oil composition. There were also found considerable amounts of monoterpene hydrocarbons, representing 41.68% of the total EO. Alpha-phellandrene, o-cymene, and β-phellandrene were the most abundant monoterpene hydrocarbons.

CONCLUSION

This is the first histochemical analysis performed on E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana. This is the first report of the EO composition from Bulgarian E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana, and our results indicate some future possibilities for evaluating of the biological activity of the EO of E. tenuifolia subsp. sibthorpiana and highlight the potential future use of the EO of this plant species. E. tenuifolia L. subsp. sibthorpiana EO possesses a good potential for use as a biopesticide and repellent an environmentally friendly alternative of synthetic pesticides.