Cytotoxic effect of nanoparticles synthesized from Salvia officinalis L. and Ricinus communis aqueous extracts against vero cell line and evaluation of their antioxidant activities

The development of safe carriers for the use of plant extracts in industrial and health fields constitute a matter of serious concern. The development of plant derived nanoparticles may help to overcome such barriers. However, the major concern is still the safety of these carriers. The present study describes the synthesis of nanoparticles derived from Salvia officinalis L. and Ricinus communis and the evaluation of their cytotoxic and antioxidant effects. It is shown in this study that the aqueous extracts of S. officinalis L. and R. communis have the potentials to reduce silver nitrate ions to silver nanoparticles. The biosynthesized nanoparticles were analyzed by spectrophotometer and granulometric tests. The biological activities of these extracts and nanoparticles were carried out. S. officinalis L. leaf extract had the strongest antioxidant activity, followed by R. communis leaf and fruit extracts. Altogether, the synthesized nanoparticles were safe and may serve as antioxidant products in many fields.Key words: Plant material, biosynthesis of nanoparticle, cytotoxicity, cell culture, free radicals

Chemical composition and free radical scavenging activity of the essential oil of Achillea ligustica growing wild in Lipari (Aeolian Islands, Sicily).

In the present study the chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts and flowers of Achillea ligustica All., collected in Lipari (Aeolian Islands) was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. (Z)-Chrysanthenyl acetate was the most abundant component of both oils (29.6% in A1 and 27.8% in F1), followed by viridiflorol (16.8% in A1 and 21.6% in F1), bornyl acetate (8.7% in A1 and 11.6% in F1) and 1,8-cineole (7.4% in A1 and 9.3% in F1). A comparison was made of the composition of the different populations studied so far. Futhermore, the free radical scavenging activity of the oil was determined by DPPH and ABTS methods

Chemical Composition and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of the Essential Oil of Achillea ligustica Growing Wild in Lipari (Aeolian Islands, Sicily)

The chemical composition of the essential oils from aerial parts and flowers of Achillea ligustica All., collected in Lipari (Aeolian Islands) was evaluated by GC and GC-MS. (Z)-Chrysanthenyl acetate was the most abundant component of both oils (29.6% in A1 and 27.8% in F1), followed by viridiflorol (16.8% in A1 and 21.6% in F1), bornyl acetate (8.7% in A1 and 11.6% in F1) and 1,8-cineole (7.4% in A1 and 9.3% in F1). A comparison was made of the composition of the different populations studied so far. Futhermore, the free radical scavenging activity of the oil was determined by DPPH and ABTS method

Benzophenone Glycosides from Hypericum humifusum ssp. austral

Six new benzophenone glycosides, 2,3',4,5',6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 4-O-(6''-benzoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), 2,3',4,5',6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), 2,3',4,5',6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 2-O-(2''-benzoyl)-α-L-arabinopyranoside (3), 2,3',4,5',6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 2-O-α-L-arabinopyranoside (4), 2,3',4,5',6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 2-O-(4''-acetyl)-β-D-xylopyranoside (5), and 2,3',4,5',6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 3-C-(4''-benzoyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (6), and five known compds. were isolated from the aerial parts of Hypericum humifusum ssp. austral. The structures of 1-6 were elucidated by mass spectrometry and extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy

Benzophenone Glycosides from <i>Hypericum humifusum</i> ssp. <i>austral</i>

Six new benzophenone glycosides, 2,3′,4,5′,6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 4-<i>O</i>-(6″-benzoyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside (<b>1</b>), 2,3′,4,5′,6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 4-<i>O</i>-β-d-glucopyranoside (<b>2</b>), 2,3′,4,5′,6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 2-<i>O</i>-(2″-benzoyl)-α-l-arabinopyranoside (<b>3</b>), 2,3′,4,5′,6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 2-<i>O</i>-α-l-arabinopyranoside (<b>4</b>), 2,3′,4,5′,6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 2-<i>O</i>-(4″-acetyl)-β-d-xylopyranoside (<b>5</b>), and 2,3′,4,5′,6-pentahydroxybenzophenone 3-<i>C</i>-(4″-benzoyl)-β-d-glucopyranoside (<b>6</b>), and five known compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of <i>Hypericum humifusum</i> ssp. <i>austral</i>. The structures of <b>1</b>–<b>6</b> were elucidated by mass spectrometry and extensive 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy

Correlation Between Chemical Composition and Antibacterial Activity of Essential Oils from Fifteen Eucalyptus Species Growing in the Korbous and Jbel Abderrahman Arboreta (North East Tunisia)

The essential oils of fifteen Eucalyptus species harvested from the Jbel Abderrahman and Korbous arboreta (North East Tunisia) were screened for their antibacterial activities by the agar disc diffusion method. Eighteen major components as identified by GC/FID and GC/MS were selected for a study of the chemical and biological activity variability. The main one was 1,8-cineole, followed by spathulenol, trans-pinocarveol, α-pinene, p-cymene, globulol, cryptone, β-phellandrene, viridiflorol, borneol, limonene and isospathulenol. The chemical principal component analysis identified five species groups and subgroups, where each group constituted a chemotype, however that of the values of zone diameter of the inhibition (zdi) identified six groups of Eucalyptus oils, characterized by their antibacterial inhibition ability. The strongest activity was shown by E. platypus oil against Enterococcus faecalis and by E. lamannii oil against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. A correlation between the levels of some major components and the antibacterial activities was observed