Evaluation of Chemical Composition, Radical Scavenging and Antitumor Activities of Satureja hortensis L. Herb Extracts.

Satureja hortensis L. is an annual herbaceous plant of the Lamiaceae Lindl. family. S. hortensis L., related to thyme and rosemary, is used as spice and traditional medicinal herb in Europe. Mainly due to the polyphenols contained in S. hortensis L., this plant exhibits multiple biological effects. However, therapeutic effects on cells, including skin tumors, have not yet been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the composition and the resulting antioxidant as well as biological properties [on melanocytes and melanoma cells] of summer, savory growing in botanical garden of Vytautas Magnus University in middle Lithuania climatic conditions, collected during various phases of vegetation. It has been shown that the budding phase alcohol extract of this plant contains the largest amounts of polyphenols, including rutin and rosemary acid, which promote the radical scavenging activity and antioxidant properties. In contrast, the extract from the massive flowering phase already at a concentration of 12.5 µg/mL reduces the survival of melanoma cells to 60% with 90% melanocytes survival. In addition, extracts from beginning of flowering and end of flowering at a concentration of 25 µg/mL, containing significantly less rutin and rosmarinic acid, in combination with irradiation of cells with UVB, significantly increased the lipid peroxidation process, particularly in melanoma cells. These data indicate the possibility of using extracts from S. hortensis L. to modulate/differentiate the metabolism of normal and tumor skin cells.

Analysis of antiproliferative effect of Chamerion angustifolium water extract and its fractions on several breast cancer cell lines.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the antiproliferative effect of the aerial part of Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub. (Onagraceae) extract and its fractions in vitro. This is the first study on the anti-proliferative effect of C. angustifolium on 3 distinct breast cancer cell lines. MATERIAL/METHODS: Breast cancer cell lines MCF7, MDA-MB-468 and MDA-MB-231 were exposed to different concentrations of the water extract of C. angustifolium, where DPPH radical scavenging activity was 0.018-0.443mg/ml, expressed in rutin equivalents. Cell growth was analyzed after 24, 48 and 72h of incubation. Solid-phase extraction was applied for the fractionation of C. angustifolium water extract and MDA-MB-468 cell line growth was tested using different fractions. RESULTS: The concentrations corresponding to radical scavenging activity of 0.117 and 0.266mg/ml caused MCF7 cells growth inhibition, while in the samples exposed to the highest concentration (0.355 and 0.443mg/ml) no proliferation was register, suggesting cell death. MDA-MB-468 cell analysis showed similar responses. MDA-MB-231 demonstrated cell growth inhibition following the exposure to all analyzed high extract doses (0.117-0.443mg/ml). MDA-MB-468 cells were selected to evaluate the effect of fractions. In the samples exposed to the fraction containing the highest amount (91%) of oenothein B, at the concentration of 0.117mg/ml a pronounced cell growth inhibition while at higher concentrations (0.266 and 0.443mg/ml) no cell proliferation was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The consumption of C. angustifolium herb can be advantageous, alongside with conventional breast cancer treatment.

Screening of antioxidant activity and volatile compounds composition of Chamerion angustifolium (L.) Holub ecotypes grown in Lithuania.

Since biological activity of medicinal plants is dependent on cultivation area, climatic conditions, developmental stage, genetic modifications and other factors, it is important to study flora present in different growing sites and geographical zones. This study was focused on screening of antioxidant activity of C. angustifolium harvested in six different locations in Lithuania. The total contents of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity were evaluated by spectrophotometric methods. A correlation between radical scavenging activity and total phenolic compounds content was observed (correlation coefficient 0.98). HPLC with online post-column DPPH radical scavenging reaction detection was used for the separation of extracts. Oenothein B, rutin and one unidentified compound were predominant. Volatile compounds were analysed using solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Based on the analysis of volatiles, all samples were classified into two chemotypes: (I) with predominant α- and ß-caryophyllenes and (II) with predominant anethole.

Evaluation of phytochemical composition of fresh and dried raw material of introduced Chamerion angustifolium L. using chromatographic, spectrophotometric and chemometric techniques.

Due to the wide spectrum of biological activities, Chamerion angustifolium L. as medicinal plant is used for the production of food supplements. However, it should be kept in mind that quality (biological activity) of the herb depends on its geographic origin, the way of raw material preparation or extraction and chemotype. The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the compositions of volatile, non-volatile compounds and antioxidant activities of C. angustifolium grown in Kaunas Botanical Garden after the introduction from different locations in Lithuania. The compositions of fresh and air-dried samples were compared. The profile of volatile compounds was analyzed using headspace solid phase microextraction coupled with GC/MS. trans-2-Hexenal (16.0-55.9% of all volatiles) and trans-anethole (2.6-46.2%) were determined only in the dried samples, while cis-3-hexenol (17.5-68.6%) only in fresh samples. Caryophyllenes (α- and ß-) were found in all analyzed samples, contributing together from 2.4% to 52.3% of all volatiles according to the origin and preparation (fresh or dried) of a sample. Total amount of phenolic compounds, total content of flavonoids and radical scavenging activity (using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)) were determined using spectrophotometric assays. The variation of total phenolic compounds content was dependent on the sample origin, moreover, drying reduced amount of phenolics 1.5-3.5 times. The DPPH free radical scavenging activity was in the range of 238.6-557.1mg/g (expressed in rutin equivalents) in the fresh samples and drastically reduced to 119.9-124.8 mg/g after drying. The qualitative analysis of phenolic compounds in the aqueous methanolic extracts of C. angustifolium was performed by means of HPLC with UV detection. Oenothein B and rutin were predominant in the samples; also caffeic and chlorogenic acids, and quercetin were determined. Chemometric methods, namely principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis and K-means clustering analysis, were applied for evaluation of the results. Chemometric analysis showed existence of different chemotypes of C. angustifolium L. and their relation to the geographic origin.

Comparative analysis of radical scavenging and antioxidant activity of phenolic compounds present in everyday use spice plants by means of spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods.

Comparative analysis of radical scavenging and antioxidant activities of phenolic compounds present in everyday use spice plants was carried out by means of spectrophotometric and chromatographic methods. Six spice plant samples, namely onion (Allium cepa), parsley (Petroselinum crispum) roots and leaves, celery (Apium graveolens) roots and leaves and leaves of dill (Anethum graveolens) were analyzed. Total amount of phenolic compounds and radical scavenging activity (RSA) was the highest in celery leaves and dill extracts and was the lowest in celery roots. Comparing commonly used spectrophotometric analysis of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) RSA of extracts with the results obtained using reversed-phase chromatographic separation with on-line post-column radical scavenging reaction detection, good correlation was obtained (R(2)=0.848). Studies using HPLC system with electrochemical detector showed that bioactive phytochemicals can be separated and antioxidant activities of individual compounds evaluated without the need of a complex HPLC system with reaction detector. The results obtained using electrochemical detection correlate with the RSA assayed using spectrophotometric method (R(2)=0.893).