Phytochemistry (extraction, identification and measurement of active components)
M. Sharifi-Rad
Abstract
Ducrosia anethifolia (DC.) Boiss. is one of the medicinal plants belonging to the fam. apiaceae that has been recommended as a treatment for the neurological disorders. The present study was aimed at investigating the changes in the phytochemicals content and the antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory ...
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Ducrosia anethifolia (DC.) Boiss. is one of the medicinal plants belonging to the fam. apiaceae that has been recommended as a treatment for the neurological disorders. The present study was aimed at investigating the changes in the phytochemicals content and the antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties of D. anethifolia ethanolic extract at the different phenological stages (vegetative, flowering, and seeding). The plant shoots were collected at each stage randomly. The total phenols and flavonoids contents of the ethanolic extracts were measured using the spectrophotometry method and the antioxidant activity was determined by the DPPH free radical scavenging method. The disk diffusion method was used to investigate the antibacterial activity of the plant extract against Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) bacteria. Also, the anti-inflammatory activity of the plant extract was assessed using the human red blood cell stabilization method. The results showed that there was a significant difference between the different phenological stages in terms of the total phenols and flavonoids contents and the antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties (P <0.05). The highest amount of total phenols and flavonoids (148 ± 1.7 mg Gallic acid equivalents (GAE)/g dry weight and 97 ± 1.5 mg Quercetin equivalents (QE)/g dry weight, respectively) and antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory activities was observed at the flowering stage. The results also showed that the plant extract studied had a greater inhibitory effect on the Gram-positive bacteria than the Gram-negative ones. The results indicated that the ethanolic extract of D. anethifolia could be used as a promising agent with the antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory properties to treat many diseases. Also, the flowering stage could be introduced as the best harvest time for the medicinal use of this species.