HPLC-ESI-MS Characterization of Certain Polyphenolic Compounds of Carica papaya L. Fruit Extracts and Evaluation of Their Potential Against Murine Schistosomiasis mansoni.

The in vivo antischistosomal activities of Carica papaya L. extracts were evaluated and the characterization of the active secondary metabolites of the defatted methanolic extract was performed using HPLC-ESI-MS. The plant fruit powders were extracted with 85% methanol and fractionated using organic solvents. The in vivo antischistosomal effects of the methanolic extracts and its fractions, as well as the assessment of the relationship between the antischistosomal activity of these plant extracts and oxidative stress, was determined. In addition, the defatted methanolic extract was characterized by HPLC-ESI-MS analysis. The number of worms, ova, and the Oogram pattern displayed typical Schistosoma mansoni pathology 8 weeks after infection in mice. Treatment of the infected group with the defatted methanolic extracts significantly decreased worm burden, immature ova and mature ova, while increasing the percentage of dead ova in vivo. The butanol fraction was the most effective fraction reducing worm burden by 77%, ova count in the intestine by 76% and in the liver by 80%, and significantly decreased immature and mature ova (P<0.001) compared to the infected group. Additionally, the defatted methanolic extracts improved the reduced glutathione and malondialdehyde levels in hepatic tissues in the treated groups compared to the infected group. The HPLC-ESI-MS analysis of the Carica papaya defatted methanolic extract revealed the presence of several polyphenolic compounds. Carica papaya fruit extracts are rich with phenolic acids and flavonoids and show a significant effect against S. mansoni infections which may be used alternative to PZQ as anti-schistosomal drug against schistosomiasis.

Antioxidant properties of methanolic extracts of the leaves of seven Egyptian Cassia species.

In the present study, antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of the leaves of seven Egyptian Cassia species was investigated using two methods, the phosphomolyb-date method and 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity method.· The results revealed that C. glauca is the most potent species and that the activity of other plant species decreases in the following order: C. grandis > C. nodosa > C. fistula > C. didymobtrya > C. occidentalis > C. sophera. Defatted methanolic extract of the most active plant C. glauca was subjected to fractionation using different organic solvents such as CHCl3, EtOAc and BuOH. Antixidant activities of the fractions were investigated and the results showed that ethyl acetate fraction possessed high activity. Total phenolic and flavonoid concentrations of each plant extract were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and aluminum chloride. Correlation between radical scavenging capacities of extracts and total phenolic concentration was observed.