Toxicological study of various crude extracts of Hyoscyamus gallagheri native to Oman.

Cancer is considered a major health issue all over the world for its high morbidity and mortality. Naturally obtained anticancer compounds have comparatively less side-effects, thus it remains a major focus for research. Hyoscyamus gallagheri (H. gallagheri), is one of the plants which have a useful source of bioactive metabolites. The present study is based on preparing plant extracts from the aerial parts of the herbal drug H. gallagheri with various polarities, determining their cytotoxicity and isolating the major cytotoxic compound from the highest active extract. A methanol extract was prepared by the Soxhlet extraction method. Then, it was processed with solvents of increasing polarities. Later, the extracts were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity by brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA). The highest mass obtained was ethyl acetate and the highest cytotoxicity activity was observed in the ethyl acetate extract, While the lowest was water extract. Ethyl acetate extract was processed for isolation of cytotoxic compounds by different chromatographic methods to give nine fractions which were evaluated by BSLA. Among all, fractions No. 2, 3 and 4 showed significant activity against BSLA and the fractions were purified using preparative thin-layer chromatography (PTLC) to give four compounds (1-4). Only compound 1 showed high purity and appropriateness for NMR analysis. The compound was identified, and the structure was elucidated using 1D and 2D spectroscopy and was found to be 5,7,2',3',4' pentahydroxyflavanone (1). In conclusion, the isolated bioactive compound could be used as an anticancer agent.

Cytotoxic and antimicrobial potential of different leaves extracts of R. fruticosus used traditionally to treat diabetes.

Medicinal plant as herbal medicine is widely used to cure infectious diseases. Rubus fruticosus L (R. fruticosus) has been studied for its antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities. Different polarity leave extracts were prepared by using hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate and hydro alcoholic solvents. Agar diffusion method has been used to assess the antibacterial activity against two gram-positive Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus and two gram-negative Escherichia coli and Haemophilus influenza bacterial strains. Cytotoxic activity was carried out against brine shrimp using the nauplii method (BSL). The results so obtained for various experiments demonstrates the total number of extracts produces moderate to strong antibacterial activity against the gram (+ and -). The best activity was discovered within hydro alcoholic upon all concentrations, whereas the inhibition zone exists within the range of 6-11 mm. In addition to that, the cytotoxic activity test confirms that hydro alcoholic extracts the maximum toxicity for values LC50 (4.68-6.96 µg/ml), where the LC50 values for all extracts be located within the range of 4.68-6.96 µg/ml. Finally, the plant itself and its derived extracts have been used as a folk medicine to treat serious infectious diseases.