Electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry of different extracts of the organs of Rumex cyprius and their antihepatotoxic effect

Purpose: Phytochemical and biological investigations of the valuable plant, Rumex cyprius, family Polygonaceae, wildly grown in Saudi Arabia.Methods: Chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were prepared from the different organs of R. cyprius. The extracts were analyzed by electrospray ionization source coupled to a mass spectrometer (ESI-MS) and tandem mass spectrometer (ESI-MS/MS) at different collision energies. The plant organs (leaf, fruit and stem) were standardized on the bases of quercetin by HPLC, and determined for their hepatoprotection in tetrachloride-induced acute liver toxicity using a mouse model.Results: Twenty-five phenolic compounds distributed between the leaf, fruit and stem of R. cyprius were identified. They were related to classes of anthraquinones, phenolic acids, flavonoid aglycones, glycosides and polyphenols. Twenty-two compounds in total were found and identified, and for the hepatoprotective effects, the leaf exhibited the best activity.Conclusion: R. cyprius is a source of potentially active phytoconstituents and a good naturalhepatoprotective drug. This study is being documented for the first time

A New Flavonoid C-Glycoside from Celtis australis L. and Celtis occidentalis L. Leaves and Potential Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities

A major development over the past two decades has been the realization that free radical induced lipid peroxidation and DNA damage are associated with major health problems, e.g. cancer and ageing. Plant-derived antioxidants are increasingly found beneficial in protecting against these diseases. Celtis australis L. and Celtis occidentalis L. are two plants that have a variety of uses in folk medicine but have not been evaluated before for their antioxidant and cytotoxic properties. Therefore, the extracts of both plants’ leaves were investigated for these activities, as well as isolation of the bioactive compounds responsible for the activities. Molecular structures of the compounds were elucidated by UV, HRESIMS, 1D (1H and 13C) and 2D (1H-13C HSQC and 1H-13C HMBC) NMR analyses. The ethanolic and aqueous extracts, n-butanol fractions and the isolated major compound were tested for their antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging assay, xanthine oxidase-induced generation of superoxide radical and lipid peroxidation assay by thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) method using rat tissue homogenates. Cytotoxic activities were studied using standard MTT assay. A novel flavonoid C-triglycoside, 4‴-α-rhamnopyranosyl-2″-O-β-d-galactopyranosylvitexin, was isolated from both plants’ leaves, together with seven known flavonoids. The n-butanol fractions and the major compound 2″-O-β-galactopyranosylvitexin showed significant antioxidant activities, more pronounced than the tested standards BHT and dl-α-tocopherol in most tests. All extracts showed variable cytotoxic activities. This study provides strong evidence for the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the extracts of Celtis australis L. and Celtis occidentalis L. leaves, which were attributed to the polar n-butanol fractions and the major isolated flavonoid 2″-galactosylvitexin

DETERMINATION OF FLAVONOIDS IN STAMEN, GYNOECIUM, AND PETALS OF Magnolia grandiflora

Chromatographic analysis of flavonoids in ethyl acetate fractions of the stamen, gynoecium, and petal of Magnolia grandiflora L. by HPLC-PDA-MS/MS-ESI in the negative ionization mode was performed in this study. The results revealed the presence of eight flavonoids: apigenin 8-C-glucoside, luteolin 8-C-glucoside, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, quercetin 3-O-galactoside, quercetin, 3-O-glucoside, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside, and isorhamnetin. Their quantification revealed that luteolin 8-C-glucoside is the major flavonoid and that the total phenolic content is concentrated primarily in the stamen. The antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects of ethanolic extract of the flower organs were evaluated against hepatotoxicity induced by CCl4, compared with the effects of silymarin

Botanical and genetic characteristics of Farsetia aegyptia Turra growing in Egypt

Farsetia aegyptia Turra is a perennial woody desert shrub native to Egypt. It is used by native Bedouins as an anti-diabetic and antispasmodic. Study of the botanical features was carried out for the root, young and old stems, leaf, fruit and seed of the plant. F. aegyptia Turra was characterized by the presence of myrosin cells and non-glandular branched unicellular two-armed hairs in the stem, leaves and fruit, while the root showed sclereids with a wide or narrow lumen and lignified pitted walls. Furthermore, the DNA of the plant was extracted from leaf samples and analysed using ten random decamer primers. A total of 58 random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were identified. Both the botanical study and the DNA fingerprint helped in the identification of the plant

THE PHENOLIC COMPOSITION OF THE HEPATOPROTECTIVE AND ANTIOXIDANT FRACTIONS OF Albizia lebbeck L.

An investigation of the hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities of the chloroform, ethyl acetate and n-butanol fractions of the leaves of Albizia lebbeck L. was performed. The first two fractions expressed the best results regarding the suppression of the increased levels of plasma amino-transferases and alkaline phosphatase in liver-damaged mice (after intoxication with CCl4) compared with silymarin and the significantly increased GSH content of alloxan- induced diabetic rats compared with vitamin E (tests and reference drugs were orally administered). The bioactive fractions of Albizia lebbeck L. were subjected to chromatographic analysis to investigate their phenolic contents using a HPLC-PDA-ESI-MS/MS technique in the negative ion mode. The results constitute the first report of the presence of seven compounds in the genus Albizia, three of which were identified as 3-O-caffeoylquinic acid, cafeic acid, myricetin; four other flavonoids (in mg 100 g-1 dry powder ± SD), myricetin 3-O-rhamnoside (0.129 ± 0.0052), quercetin 3-O-dideoxypentoside (0.011 ± 0.001), kaempferol 3-O-glucoside (0.015 ± 0.002), quercetin 3-O-dihexoside (0.138 ± 0.002); quercetin 3-O-rutinoside at a level of 0.135 ± 0.004; and the aglycones quercetin, luteolin and kaempferol. Method validation was performed, providing an analytical technique that can be used to detect trace amounts of the identified compounds in Albizia extracts with rapid sample preparation

PHYTOCHEMICAL SCREENING, BOTANICAL STUDY AND DNA FINGERPRINTING OF PRUNUS AMYGDALUS BATSCH UMM ALFAHM†CULTIVAR CULTIVATED IN EGYPT

Objective: The present study was designed to throw light on the phytochemical screening, macro and micro morphological studies, as well as, DNA fingerprinting of Prunus amygdalus Batsch Umm alfahm cultivar with the aim of plant authentication. Methods: Phytochemical screening of the stems, leaves and pericarps was carried out using standard procedures. DNA fingerprinting was carried out using randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using ten primers for the analysis. In addition, seed protein was analyzed using continuous polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in vertical slab apparatus in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS-PAGE). Results: Phytochemical investigation of P. amygdalus revealed positive results for the presence of steam volatile substances and saponins in leaves, while pericarp contains traces of saponins. Whereas, sterols and/or triterpenoids, tannins, carbohydrate and/or glycosides, and flavonoids were detected in leaves and stems and as traces in pericarp. Conclusion: From the present study, macro and micro morphological characters, as well as, DNA fingerprinting can be considered as the identifying parameters to authenticate the plant