Comparative DNA profiling, botanical identification and biological evaluation of Gazania longiscapa DC and Gazania rigens L.

Gazania longiscapa DC and Gazania rigens L. are species of cultivated ornamental plant that grow in Egypt. Genus Gazania has a role in folk medicine to prevent toothache; this study presents a comparative investigation of genetic and botanical features of root, rhizome, leaves and flowers of the two Gazania species and comparing their biological activity as analgesic and antiinflammatory as related to their folk medicinal use. The genetic and botanical differences between the two Gazania species are reported for the first time in this study. The results contribute toward validation of the traditional use of Gazania showing that both species are safe for oral administration and they exhibit significant antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects in a dose dependent manner

Hepatoprotection and Antioxidant Activity of Gazania Longiscapa and G. Rigens with the Isolation and Quantitative Analysis of Bioactive Metabolites

Gazania longiscapa and G. rigens are two species belonging to family Asteraceae. The present study aimed the isolation of the main active constituents from the methanol extracts using different chromatographic methods and their identification using different spectroscopic techniques, beside the quantitation of some biologically important active constituent as rutin using HPLC technique, together with estimation of total polyphenolic content calculated as gallic acid and estimation of total flavonoid content calculated as rutin using UV technique. Concomitantly the determination of the antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of the total methanol extracts of the aerial parts of G. longiscapa and G. rigens. This work resulted in the isolation of 4 flavonoids (Apigenin, Luteolin, Luteolin 7-O-β-D-glucopyranosid, Apigenin 7-O-β-Dglucopyranosid), 3 phenolic acids (Caffeic acid, Chlorogenic acid and 3,5- di- O-caffeoylquinic acid) from G. longiscapa for the first time; these 3 phenolic acids were also isolated from G. rigens, together with one flavonoid (rutin), The quantitative determination of the methanol extracts showed that G. longiscapa is a richer source of phenolic acids than G. rigens and both Gazania species are valuable sources of rutin beside having hepatoprotective and antioxidant activity