Ruscus aculeatus L. is a sub-shrub used in traditional medicine in different parts of the world,
namely in Europe and the Iberian Peninsula[1]. Traditionally, the aerial parts are mainly used as
diuretics and the underground parts are used for the treatment of urinary tract diseases and as a
laxative[2]. In the present work, the aerial part, roots, and rhizomes of R. aculeatus were
characterized regarding their bioactive properties in order to contribute to the knowledge of the
chemical composition of this unexplored species. The plant material of R. aculeatus was
harvested in April 2019 inside woodlands and hedgerows, in Valpaços, Portugal. Two distinct
parts were gathered: the aerial part (cladodes or laminar stems and lateral branches) and the
underground organs (rhizomes with roots). Hydroethanolic extracts and aqueous (infusions and
decoctions) preparations from the two mentioned parts of the plant were prepared.
Multi-resistant clinical bacterial strains (Enterococcus faecalis, Listeria monocytogenes,
methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae,
Morganela morganii, Proteus mirabilis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) were used to screen the
antimicrobial activity and the antioxidant activity was evaluated through two different in vitro
assays: inhibition of lipid peroxidation in brain homogenates by thiobarbituric acid reactive
substances (TBARS) and oxidative hemolysis inhibition assay (OxHLIA). The cytotoxic
activity was assayed using MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), NCI-H460 (non-small cell lung
carcinoma), HeLa (cervical carcinoma) and HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) human tumor
cell lines, and also a non-tumor cell line (porcine liver primary cells, PLP2). All extracts
revealed antioxidant activity and potential to inhibit some of the assessed bacteria; except for
the infusion of the aerial part (for the lines MCF7 and HepG2) and decoction extracts (line
MCF7), all the remaining extracts presented effective results in the inhibition of the tested cell
lines; the aqueous extracts of the aerial part and infusions of roots and rhizomes did not show
cytotoxic effects in a non-tumor primary cell culture. This preliminary study provided
innovative and interesting results in relation to the bioactive properties of this little-studied and
explored wild plant.The authors are grateful to the Foundation for Science and Technology
(FCT, Portugal) for financial support by national funds FCT/MCTES to CIMO
(UIDB/00690/2020) and national funding by FCT, P.I., through the institutional scientific
employment program-contract for L. Barros, A. Fernandes, C. Pereira and R.C. Calhelha´s
contract. The authors are grateful to the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
through the Regional Operational Program North 2020, within the scope of Project
Norte-01-0145-FEDER-000042: GreenHealth.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio
