Effects of Artemisia absinthium on broiler chicken coccidiosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Coccidiosis is a recurring disease in broiler flocks that causes significant economic losses. This study aims to evaluate the effect of Artemisia absinthium on coccidiosis in broilers through a systematic review and meta-analysis. The article selection process included a search from the year 2000 to February 2021, with no restrictions on country or geographical region. Our objective was met by only six studies, which underwent systematic review. The meta-analysis was conducted using the metafor package in R via RStudio (version 1.1.383; RStudio, Inc.). The systematic review indicates that in vivo studies have shown the effectiveness of various plant extracts (essential oil and methanolic extract) when administered in food or drinking water on the considered parameters (oocyst shedding, bloody diarrhoea, mortality rate, weight gain, conversion index, lesion score). Furthermore, in vitro studies demonstrated a positive impact on oocyst count, LC50 (lethal concentration), sporulation rate (%), and sporulation inhibition rate (%). The meta-analysis of the four studies included in this analysis revealed that the inclusion of A. absinthium extract resulted in a significant reduction in oocyst shedding (SMD = -1.64, 95% CI: -2.72 to -0.55; P < 0.0001). However, the effectiveness of A. absinthium extract was not as significant as that of antibiotics (SMD = 0.57, 95% CI: -0.19 to 0.95; P = 0.0032). Various forms of administration and extracts of A. absinthium have demonstrated antiparasitic activity against Eimeria spp, making them suitable as natural anticoccidial agents.

Analyzing the Chemical Constituents and In Vitro Biological Effects of Extracts Artemisia absinthium L. Extracts Obtained Using Different Methodologies and Solvents.

The present study aimed to investigate the chemical constituents of different extracts from aerial parts of A. absinthium and to evaluate their antioxidant and enzyme inhibition activity. Extracts were prepared by maceration, infusion or Soxhlet techniques. Results showed that the highest total phenolic and flavonoids contents was recorded respectively from the hexane extract prepared by maceration and ethyl acetate extract obtained by Soxhlet method. The characteristic compounds of Artemisia species artemetin, casticin, sesartemin and yangambin in addition to coumarins were identified in all extracts. Aqueous extract obtained by infusion exerted the highest radical scavenging and ions reducing properties while that prepared by maceration displayed the highest chelating power. Methanol extracts obtained by the two methods of extraction exerted the highest anti-Tyr activity while that obtained by maceration showed the best α-glucosidase inhibition activity. These findings indicated that A. absinthium is a rich source of bioactive molecules with possible therapeutic applications.

Exploring anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-related quality markers of Artemisia absinthium L. based on spectrum-effect relationship.

INTRODUCTION: Artemisia absinthium L. is a well-known medicinal, aromatic, and edible plant with important medicinal and economic properties and a long history of use in treating liver inflammation and other diseases; however, there has been insufficient progress in quality control. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the quality markers for the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of A. absinthium based on spectrum-effect relationship analysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighteen batches of A. absinthium from different origins were used. Chemical fingerprints were obtained by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). The chemical compositions were identified by quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry. Anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by inhibition of cyclooxygenase-2 and 15-lipoxygenase in vitro and inhibition of nitric oxide release in lipopolysaccharide-induced BV-2 cells. Antioxidant activity was assessed by DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging assays. The relationship between bioactivity and chemical fingerprints was then analyzed using chemometrics including gray relational analysis, bivariate correlation analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares analysis. RESULTS: Different batches of A. absinthium extracts possessed significant anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities to varying degrees. Eighty compounds were identified from A. absinthium, and 12 main common peaks were obtained from the UPLC fingerprints. P3 (chlorogenic acid), P5 (isochlorogenic acid A), and P6 (isochlorogenic acid C) were screened as the most promising active compounds by correlation analysis and further validated for their remarkable anti-inflammatory effects. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to screen the quality markers of A. absinthium by establishing the spectrum-effect relationship, which can provide a reference for the development of quality standards and further research on A. absinthium.

Exploring the therapeutic potential of bioactive compounds derived from Artemisia absinthium against breast cancer cell line.

Artemisia absinthium, renowned for its medicinal properties, boasts a wealth of biologically active compounds, rendering it indispensable for extracting chemicals from its aerial parts using Soxhlet extraction. Through diverse chromatography methods, fractions Ia and IIb were isolated, revealing numerous phenolics. XTT tests on cell cultures demonstrated that MCF-7 cancer cells treated with fatty acids exhibited significantly lower survival rates than the control group, with IC50 values of 43.24 and 347.2, respectively. Fraction Ia exhibited dose-dependent effects on cell viability, inhibiting MCF7 breast cancer cell proliferation by 76.4%, 67.08% and 48.98% at doses of 5, 10 and 20µg/mL, respectively, while exerting minimal impact on the healthy cell line WI38, with percentages of 97.82%, 95.49% and 91.52%, respectively. Similarly, fraction IIb significantly impeded MCF7 cell growth at doses of 5, 10 and 20µg/mL, with percentages of 66.12%, 47.05% and 33.26%, respectively, yet demonstrated negligible effects on WI38 cells, with percentages of 98.80%, 96.73% and 95.55%, respectively. Notably, fraction IIb exhibited selective toxicity towards breast cancer cells, indicating the potential of A. absinthium plant extracts in breast cancer treatment.

New Evidence for Artemisia absinthium as an Alternative to Classical Antibiotics: Chemical Analysis of Phenolic Compounds, Screening for Antimicrobial Activity.

Artemisia absinthium, an important herb of the Artemisia genus, was evaluated in this study for its potential as an alternative to classical antibiotics. The antimicrobial activity of methanol extracts of A. absinthium (MEAA) was evaluated using the broth microdilution method, revealing that A. absinthium exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activity. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was used to analyze the chemical profile of the MEAA, with a focus on flavonoids, quinic acids, and glucaric acids. A total of 90 compounds were identified, 69 of which were described for the first time in A. absinthium. Additionally, a new class of caffeoyl methyl glucaric acids was identified. The main active compounds were quantified and screened for antimicrobial activity. A. absinthium was found to be rich in quinic acids and flavonoids. The screening for antimicrobial activity also revealed that salicylic acid, caffeic acid, casticin, and 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid had varying degrees of antimicrobial activity. The acute toxicity of MEAA was examined following OECD guidelines. The administration of 5000 mg/kg bw of MEAA did not result in mortality in male and female mice. Furthermore, there were no observed effects on the visceral organs or general behavior of the mice, demonstrating the good safety of MEAA. This study provides new evidence for the use of A. absinthium as an alternative to classical antibiotics in addressing the problem of bacterial resistance.

Methanolic extract of Artemisia absinthium prompts apoptosis, enhancing expression of Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, cell cycle arrest, caspase-3 activation and mitochondrial membrane potential destruction in human colorectal cancer HCT-116 cells.

The Artemisia absinthium (AA), belongs to the Asteraceae family, is used as a therapeutic agent in traditional medicine in Iran. It is a rich source of biology-active compounds. However, the molecular mechanism of AA contributing to cell proliferation and apoptosis is still unknown. This study aims to assess the anticancer activity of the methanolic extract of A. absinthium (MEAA) against human colorectal cancer HCT-116 cell line. The cytotoxic effects of MEAA on HCT-116 cells was evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay. The expression levels of BAX and BCL-2 in HCT-116 cell line were examined by qRT-PCR. Annexin V/PI-flow cytometry technique was used to detect the cell cycle and apoptosis. MMP was predicted by Rhodamine 123 staining, and caspase 3 activity was analyzed by ELISA. Western blot method was performed to detect the expression level of BAX, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 proteins. The MTT test revealed MEAA reduced the viability of HCT-116 cells. The mRNA and protein levels of BAX increased, but those of BCL-2 decreased in MEAA-treated cells. MEAA also prompted cell cycle arrest and induced apoptosis. After adding MEAA, the protein level and activity of caspase 3 and MMP destruction significantly increased. MEAA predominantly prompted apoptosis in HCT-116 cells by activating the mitochondrial pathway.

Multifunctional Hydroxyapatite Coated with Arthemisia absinthium Composites.

There is significant research showing that essential oils extracted from the plants have antibacterial effects. The purpose of this study was to develop a biocomposite based on hydroxyapatite coated with Artemisia absinthium essential oil and to highlight its antibacterial activity. Therefore, present studies are aimed at developing new materials combining hydroxyapatite with Artemisia absinthium essential oil, in order to avoid postoperative infections. The purpose of this work is to highlight the antimicrobial properties of the Artemisia absinthium essential oil-hydroxyapatite composites obtained by a simple method and at low costs. The structural properties and antimicrobial efficiency of the Artemisia absinthium essential oil-hydroxyapatite composite have been studied. The samples based on Artemisia absinthium essential oil analyzed in this study showed that wormwood essential oil presented the highest efficacy against the fungal strain of C. parapsilosis. It has been shown that wormwood essential oil has a strong antimicrobial effect against the microbial strains tested in this study. Furthermore, the antimicrobial properties of the biocomposites based on hydroxyapatite and essential oil are due to the presence of the essential oil in the samples.

Romanian Wormwood (Artemisia absinthium L.): Physicochemical and Nutraceutical Screening.

Artemisia species are used worldwide for their antioxidant, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. This research was designed to investigate the phytochemical profile of two ethanolic extracts obtained from leaves and stems of A. absinthium L. as well as the biological potential (antioxidant activity, cytotoxic, anti-migratory and anti-inflammatory properties). Both plant materials showed quite similar thermogravimetric, FT-IR phenolic profile (high chlorogenic acid) with mild antioxidant capacity [ascorbic acid (0.02-0.1) > leaves (0.1-2.0) > stem (0.1-2.0)]. Alcoholic extracts from these plant materials showed a cytotoxic effect against A375 (melanoma) and MCF7 (breast adenocarcinoma) and affected less the non-malignant HaCaT cells (human keratinocytes) at 72 h post-stimulation and this same trend was observed in the anti-migratory (A375, MCF7 > HaCat) assay. Lastly, extracts ameliorated the pro-inflammatory effect of TPA (12-o-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate) in mice ears, characterized by a diffuse neutrophil distribution with no exocytosis or micro-abscesses.

The Extracts of Artemisia absinthium L. Suppress the Growth of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells through Induction of Apoptosis via Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress and Mitochondrial-Dependent Pathway.

Artemisia absinthium L. has pharmaceutical and medicinal effects such as antimicrobial, antiparasitic, hepatoprotective, and antioxidant activities. Here, we prepared A. absinthium ethanol extract (AAEE) and its subfractions including petroleum ether (AAEE-Pe) and ethyl acetate (AAEE-Ea) and investigated their antitumor effect on human hepatoma BEL-7404 cells and mouse hepatoma H22 cells. The cell viability of hepatoma cells was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The apoptosis, cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were analyzed by flow cytometry. The levels of proteins in the cell cycle and apoptotic pathways were detected by Western blot. AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea exhibited potent cytotoxicity for both BEL-7404 cells and H22 cells through the induction of cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Moreover, AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea significantly reduced Δψm, increased the release of cytochrome c, and promoted the cleavage of caspase-3, caspase-9, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in BEL-7404 and H22 cells. AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea significantly upregulated the levels of ROS and C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP). Further, AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea significantly inhibited tumor growth in the H22 tumor mouse model and improved the survival of tumor mice without side effects. These results suggest that AAEE, AAEE-Pe, and AAEE-Ea inhibited the growth of hepatoma cells through induction of apoptosis, which might be mediated by the endoplasmic reticulum stress and mitochondrial-dependent pathway.

Evaluation of anticancer, antioxidant activity and phenolic compounds of Artemisia absinthium L. Extract.

In the treatment of cancer, which remains a fatal disease, increasingly successful treatment rates of alternative therapies using the power of plants have directed the scientific world towards natural plant resources. This study aimed to examine the anti-cancer and antioxidant properties and identify the phenolic content of the methanolic extract obtained from Artemisia absinthium L. (AR) species, which is used as folk-medicine. The antioxidant activity of the extract was investigated using total phenolics, flavonoids, ABTS and CUPRAC methods. Phenolic component analysis of the plant extract was performed by LC-MS/MS. The anti-cancer property of AR extract was investigated on human colon (DLD-1), endometrium (ECC-1) cancer cells and embryonic kidney (HEK-293) cells. Cytotoxic effects were defined with MTT, apoptotic activity with DNA fragmentation ELISA and AO/EB fluorescent staining, the genotoxic effect with the comet assay and the intracellular oxidative status with TAS and TOS methods. As a result of the study, it was determined that AR extract showed an antioxidant effect, and as a result of the content analysis made with LC-MS/MS, phenolic components were determined, the most abundant being chlorogenic acid, followed by quinic acid, cinnamic acid, rhoifolin and malic acide. AR extract showed cytotoxic activity on DLD-1 and ECC-1 cancer cells, while the cytotoxic effect on HEK-293 cells was determined to be low.  It was determined that by increasing the intracellular amount of free radicals on cancer cells, this led to DNA damage, which consequently led to apoptosis of the cancer cells.

Ovicidal and larvicidal activity of extracts from medicinal-plants against Haemonchus contortus.

The use of medicinal plants (MP) containing bioactive compounds is an alternative strategy to control of parasitic nematode of small ruminants Haemonchus contortus at various stages of their life cycle. The aims of this study were to determine the in vitro anthelmintic activity of both aqueous and methanolic extracts from 13 medicinal plants typical for Central Europe, and to determine quantity of selected plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) in the methanolic extracts. In vitro egg hatch test and larval development tests were conducted to determine the possible anthelmintic effects of methanolic and aqueous extracts of the roots of Althaea officinalis L., Petasites hybridus L. and Inula helenium L.; flowers of Malva sylvestris L. and Chamomilla recutita L.; leaves of Plantago lanceolata L. and Rosmarinus officinalis L.; seeds of Foeniculum vulgare Mill. and stems of Solidago virgaurea L., Fumaria officinalis L., Hyssopus officinalis L., Melisa officinalis L. and Artemisia absinthium L. on eggs and larvae of H. contortus. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography and tandem mass spectroscopy was used for quantifying six PSMs: gallic acid (GA), rutin (RU), diosmin (DI), hesperidin (HE), quercetin (QU) and kaempferol (KA). RU content of the most effective methanolic extracts was in the order: M. sylvestris (9.33 mg/g DM) > A. absinthium (6.10 mg/g DM) > C. recutita (0.42 mg/g DM). The highest concentration of QU (44.8 mg/g DM) and KA (6.59 mg/g DM) were detected in stems of F. officinalis comparing to the other evaluated plants. The most significant (p < 0.05) anthelmintic effects exhibited methanolic extracts of A. absinthium in both in vitro tests (i.e., egg hatch test and larval development test). Additionally, only two methanolic extracts of C. recutita and M. sylvestris were comparable to activity of A. absinthium using the larval development test. Wider spectrum of aqueous extracts exhibited stronger ovicidal activity in comparison to methanolic extracts. The similar trend was observed in evaluating of larvicidal activity of aqueous and methanolic plant extracts.

Therapeutic efficacy of Artemisia absinthium against Hymenolepis nana: in vitro and in vivo studies in comparison with the anthelmintic praziquantel.

Hymenolepis nana is a common intestinal tapeworm that affects humans. Drugs are available for the treatment of this infection, including praziquantel (PZQ), nitazoxanide and niclosamide. Although the drug of choice is praziquantel, due to its high cure rates, indicators of the development of PZQ resistance by different parasites have begun to appear over recent decades. Therefore, this study was a trial to find an alternative to PZQ by assessing the activity of the crude aqueous extract of the medicinal herb Artemisia absinthium against H. nana. In vitro, the extract was used against adult worms at concentrations of 1 and 5 mg/ml, in comparison with 1 mg/ml of PZQ. The times of worm paralysis and death were determined. Ultrastructural morphological changes were studied using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). For the in vivo study, infected mice were divided into untreated, PZQ-treated and A. absinthium-treated groups (400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg). Pre- and post-treatment egg counts per gram of faeces (EPG) were performed; then, the reduction percentages of the EPG and worm burden were calculated. The best results were obtained with praziquantel. Artemisia absinthium induced worm paralysis, death and ultrastructural alterations, such as tegumental damage, lipid accumulation, and destruction of the nephridial canal and the intrauterine eggs, in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, significant reductions in the EPG and worm burden were recorded in A. absinthium-treated mice. Although the results obtained with A. absinthium were promising and comparable to PZQ, further studies using different extracts, active ingredients and concentrations against different parasites should be conducted.

Phytochemical screening and antibacterial potential of Artemisia absinthium L., Swertia chirayita and Sphaeranthus indicus.

Utilization of herbs for medicinal purpose started in the early history of mankind several thousand years ago. In this study, some plants that are used for lowering cholesterol level in local areas of Pakistan, such as Artemisia absinthium L., Swertia chirayita and Sphaeranthus indicus were screened for their phytochemical and antibacterial properties. For this purpose, these plants were extracted in different solvents i.e. ethanol, hexane and ethyl acetate. Phytochemcial analysis unveiled the existence of different bioactive compounds in these extracts. Presence of sugars was further confirmed by performing TLC. Antibacterial activity was determined against indicated bacterial strains, among all extracts Gul-e-mundi had maximum inhibition zone (23mm). DPPH free radical assay revealed the significant antioxidative potential of all the extracts where Gul-e-mundi showed maximum potential i.e., 83%. Plant extracts were also showing anti-proliferative activity on root tips of Allium cepa and Gul-e-mundi was observed to have maximum antimitotic activity i.e. 5%. GC-MS analysis revealed that oleic acid and linoleic acid were the compounds responsible for imparting antibacterial potential to Gul-e-mundi. In conclusion, among all the tested extracts Gul-e-mundi had maximum antibacterial, antioxidative and antimitotic potential. For future studies, phytochemcials responsible for these activities can be isolated and modified for pharmacological purpose.

Absolute configuration of the ocimene monoterpenoids from Artemisia absinthium.

The absolute configuration (AC) of the naturally occurring ocimenes (-)-(3S,5Z)-2,6-dimethyl-2,3-epoxyocta-5,7-diene (1) and (-)-(3S,5Z)-2,6-dimethylocta-5,7-dien-2,3-diol (2), isolated from the essential oils of domesticated specimens of Artemisia absinthium, followed by vibrational circular dichroism (VCD) studies of 1, as well as from the acetonide 3 and the monoacetate 4, both derived from 2, since secondary alcohols are not the best functional groups to be present during VCD studies in solution due to intermolecular associations. The AC follows from comparison of experimental and calculated VCD spectra that were obtained by Density Functional Theory computation at the B3LYP/DGDZVP level of theory. Careful nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements were compared with literature values, providing for the first time systematic 1 H and 13 C chemical shift data. Regarding homonuclear 1 H coupling constants, after performing a few irradiation experiments that showed the presence of several small long-range interactions, the complete set of coupling constants for 3, which is representative of the four studied molecules, was determined by iterations using the PERCH software. This procedure even allowed assigning the pro-R and pro-S methyl group signals of the two gem-dimethyl groups present in 3.

Artemisia absinthium-borne compounds as novel larvicides: effectiveness against six mosquito vectors and acute toxicity on non-target aquatic organisms.

The eco-friendly control of mosquito vectors is a crucial challenge of public health importance. Here we evaluated the larvicidal potential of Artemisia absinthium essential oil (EO) and its three major chemical constituents against six mosquito vectors: Anopheles stephensi, Anopheles subpictus, Aedes aegypti, Aedes albopictus, Culex quinquefasciatus, and Culex tritaeniorhynchus. The EO was obtained by leaf hydro-distillation. Its chemical composition was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Major components were (E)-ß-farnesene (31.6 %), (Z)-en-yn-dicycloether (11.12 %), and (Z)-ß-ocimene (27.8 %). The EO was toxic effect against larval populations of An. stephensi, An. subpictus, Ae. aegypti, Ae. albopictus, Cx. quinquefasciatus, and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus, with LC50 values of 41.85, 52.02, 46.33, 57.57, 50.57, and 62.16 µg/ml. (E)-ß-farnesene, (Z)-en-yn-dicycloether, and (Z)-ß-ocimene were highly effective on An. stephensi (LC50 = 8.13, 16.24 and 25.84 µg/ml) followed by An. subpictus (LC50 = 10.18, 20.99, and 30.86 µg/ml), Ae. aegypti (LC50 = 8.83,17.66, and 28.35 µg/ml), Ae. albopictus (LC50 = 11.38,23.47, and 33.72 µg/ml), Cx. quinquefasciatus (LC50 = 9.66, 19.76, and 31.52 µg/ml), and Cx. tritaeniorhynchus (LC50 = 12.51,25.88, and 37.13 µg/ml). Notably, the EO and its major compounds were safer to the non-target organisms Chironomous circumdatus, Anisops bouvieri and Gambusia affinis, with LC50 values ranging from 207.22 to 4385 µg/ml. Overall, our results highlight that (E)-ß-farnesene, (Z)-en-yn-dicycloether, and (Z)-ß-ocimene from the A. absinthium EO represent promising eco-friendly larvicides against six key mosquito vectors with moderate toxicity against non-target organisms.

Prenatal heat stress reduces male anogenital distance at birth and adult testis size, which are rescued by concurrent maternal Artemisia absinthium consumption.

Boars from sows with elevated plasma cortisol during pregnancy have shorter anogenital distance (AGD), a trait associated with subfertility. Since gestating sows often experience summer heat stress (HS), a mouse model was used to evaluate the effect of prenatal HS on AGD and fertility; efficacy of the heat stress-mitigating supplement Artemisia absinthium (AB) was also evaluated. Dams were treated from d 8-18 of gestation, residing in ambient temperatures from 0700 to 1900h. From 1900 to 0700h females were exposed to 34.13±0.27°C (HS) with access to water (HSW; n=9), HS with access to a 1% w/v decoction of AB (HSA; n=9), 20.81±0.20°C (thermal neutral; TN) with water (TNW; n=10) or TN with AB (TNA; n=10). Daily liquid consumption was measured from d 6-18, and tail temperature was recorded at 0700 and 1900h from d 8-18. Progeny weight and AGD were recorded at birth and weaning. At maturity, males were mated to non-littermate females from each treatment; these females were euthanized after 16 d of TN gestation. Reproductive traits were compared among all male/female treatment combinations; testes were weighed. Average liquid intake differed among treatments with HS and AB animals drinking more (P<0.0004). A treatment by time interaction for tail temperature (P<0.001) was observed; HS increased tail temperature of HSA and HSW animals similarly compared to TNA and TNW. Treatment affected (P<0.01) male birth AGD (HSW shortest; P<0.07). At maturity, HSW males also had the smallest testes (P<0.02). However, we observed no differences in fertility (P>0.10). These data indicate that in utero HS decreases both male birth AGD and adult testis size, effects which maternal AB consumption mitigates.

[Concentrations of alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides, polyphenols and saponins in selected medicinal plants from Ecuador and their relationship with acute toxicity against Artemia salina]. / Concentraciones de alcaloides, glucósidos cianogénicos, polifenoles y saponinas en plantas medicinales seleccionadas en Ecuador y su relación con la toxicidad aguda contra Artemia salina.

Alkaloids, polyphenols, cyanogenic glycosides and saponins are among the main chemical compounds synthesized by plants but not considered essential for their basic metabolism. These compounds have different functions in plants, and have been recognized with medicinal and pharmacological properties. In this research, concentrations of the mentioned secondary metabolites were determined in the medicinal plants Artemisia absinthium, Cnidoscolus aconitifolius, Parthenium hysterophorus, Piper carpunya and Taraxacum officinale, from Ecuador, and related with cytotoxic effects against Artemia salina. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts from leaves of these selected plants were prepared at different concentrations. To assess cytotoxicity of these extracts, different bioassays with A. salina were undertaken, and the mortality rates and LC50 were obtained. Besides, concentrations of alkaloids, cyanogenic glycosides, phenols, tannins and saponins were determined by spectrophotometric methods; this constituted the first report of quantification of secondary metabolites in the selected plants from Ecuador. T. officinale had the highest concentration of total phenols (22.30 ± 0.23 mg/g) and tannins (11.70 ± 0.10 mg/g), C. aconitifolius of cyanogenic glycosides (5.02 ± 0.37 µg/g) and P. hysterophorus of saponins (6.12 ± 0.02 mg/g). Tannins values obtained were not adverse to their consumption. Alcoholic and aqueous extracts of selected plants had hemolytic activity depending on the concentration of saponins. Although the values of cyanogenic glycosides were permissible, it was necessary to monitor the presence of this metabolite in plants to minimize health problems. LC50 values ranged from extremely toxic (3.37 µg/mL) to highly toxic (274.34 µg/mL), in P. carpunya and T. officinale, respectively. From correlation analysis, it was observed that increase values of alkaloids concentrations had highly significant (p<0.001) acute toxicity against A. salina, while at a higher polyphenol concentration the level of plants cytotoxicity decreased significantly (p<0.001). The results of principal component analysis showed that saponins apparently were in synergy with polyphenols to decrease cytotoxicity, but antagonize with alkaloids and cyanogenic glycosides, indicating that these secondary metabolites present variability in the mechanisms of action against A. salina, as cytotoxic compounds. These results also demonstrate that polyphenols and saponins can be lethal at low concentrations, demonstrating the potential of brine shrimp bioassay as a model to evaluate plant extracts containing low concentrations of chemical compounds with high polarities. The significant positive correlation between cytotoxicity and concentration of alkaloids confirmed by the bioassay of brine shrimp can be useful to identify promising sources of antitumor compounds, and to evaluate tolerable limits not affecting other benign cells. Contents of secondary metabolites found in the selected plants confer them great pharmacologic values.

Protection of DNA during oxidative stress and cytotoxic potential of Artemisia absinthium.

Medicinal plants are rich in secondary metabolites (alkoloids, glycosides, coumarins, flavonides, steroids, etc.) and considered to be more effective and a safer alternative source to manage a variety of diseases related to liver, heart and kidney disordered. This study determines in vitro antioxidant and in vivo toxicological profile including hemolytic, brine shrimp lethality and mutagenicity of aerial parts of Artemisia absinthium. DNA protection assay was performed on pUC19 plasmid vector using H(2)O(2) as oxidative agent. Total phenolic and flavonoid content were determined using colorimetric methods. Toxicity of the plant was evaluated by brine shrimp lethality, hemolytic and mutagenic activity. DNA protection assay of the plant showed concentration dependent protective effect and at concentration 10µL/mL revealed complete protective effect against H(2)O(2) induced DNA damage. Highest phenolic and flavonoid content was found to be 167.3 (mg GAE 100g DW(-1)) and 14 (mg CE 100g DW(-1)) respectively. Results showed that A. absinthium is potent against standard toxicological procedures, that indicates the presence of bioactive components in the plant and possess antioxidant activity that protects DNA against H(2)O(2) induced oxidative damage. Thus the results showed/support that A. absinthium provides significant health benefits.

Inhibition of Phytophthora parasitica and P. capsici by Silver Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Aqueous Extract of Artemisia absinthium.

Application of nanoparticles for controlling plant pathogens is a rapidly emerging area in plant disease management, and nanoparticles synthesis methods that are economical and ecofriendly are extensively investigated. In this project, we investigated the potential of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized with aqueous extract of Artemisia absinthium against several Phytophthora spp., which cause many economically important crop diseases. In in vitro dose-response tests conducted in microtiter plates, 10 µg ml⁻¹ of AgNPs inhibited mycelial growth of P. parasitica, P. infestans, P. palmivora, P. cinnamomi, P. tropicalis, P. capsici, and P. katsurae. Detailed in vitro dose-response analyses conducted with P. parasitica and P. capsici revealed that AgNPs synthesized with A. absinthium extract were highly potent (IC50: 2.1 to 8.3 µg ml⁻¹) and efficacious (100%) in inhibiting mycelial growth, zoospore germination, germ tube elongation, and zoospore production. Interestingly, AgNP treatment accelerated encystment of zoospores. Consistent with in vitro results, in planta experiments conducted in a greenhouse revealed that AgNP treatments prevented Phytophthora infection and improved plant survival. Moreover, AgNP in in planta experiments did not produce any adverse effects on plant growth. These investigations provide a simple and economical method for controlling Phytophthora with AgNP without affecting normal plant physiology.

Trypanocidal, trichomonacidal and cytotoxic components of cultivated Artemisia absinthium Linnaeus (Asteraceae) essential oil.

Artemisia absinthium is an aromatic and medicinal plant of ethnopharmacological interest and it has been widely studied. The use ofA. absinthium based on the collection of wild populations can result in variable compositions of the extracts and essential oils (EOs). The aim of this paper is the identification of the active components of the vapour pressure (VP) EO from a selected and cultivated A. absinthium Spanish population (T2-11) against two parasitic protozoa with different metabolic pathways: Trypanosoma cruzi and Trichomonas vaginalis. VP showed activity on both parasites at the highest concentrations. The chromatographic fractionation of the VP T2-11 resulted in nine fractions (VLC1-9). The chemical composition of the fractions and the antiparasitic effects of fractions and their main compounds suggest that the activity of the VP is related with the presence of trans-caryophyllene and dihydrochamazulene (main components of fractions VLC1 and VLC2 respectively). Additionally, the cytotoxicity of VP and fractions has been tested on several tumour and no tumour human cell lines. Fractions VLC1 and VLC2 were not cytotoxic against the nontumoural cell line HS5, suggesting selective antiparasitic activity for these two fractions. The VP and fractions inhibited the growth of human tumour cell lines in a dose-dependent manner.