Biological Activities of Aerial Parts Extracts of Euphorbia characias

The aim of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-HIV, and cholinesterase inhibitory activities of aqueous and alcoholic extracts from leaves, stems, and flowers of Euphorbia characias. The extracts showed a high antioxidant activity and were a good source of total polyph...

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Main Authors: Maria Barbara Pisano, Sofia Cosentino, Silvia Viale, Delia Spanò, Angela Corona, Francesca Esposito, Enzo Tramontano, Paola Montoro, Carlo Ignazio Giovanni Tuberoso, Rosaria Medda, Francesca Pintus
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Hindawi Limited 2016-01-01
Series:BioMed Research International
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1538703
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spelling doaj-472be63c7de44e9aa41f92c640e6bbb82020-11-25T00:02:52ZengHindawi LimitedBioMed Research International2314-61332314-61412016-01-01201610.1155/2016/15387031538703Biological Activities of Aerial Parts Extracts of Euphorbia characiasMaria Barbara Pisano0Sofia Cosentino1Silvia Viale2Delia Spanò3Angela Corona4Francesca Esposito5Enzo Tramontano6Paola Montoro7Carlo Ignazio Giovanni Tuberoso8Rosaria Medda9Francesca Pintus10Department of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Public Health, Clinical and Molecular Medicine, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Sciences of Life and Environment, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Sciences of Life and Environment, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Sciences of Life and Environment, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Sciences of Life and Environment, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, 84084 Fisciano, ItalyDepartment of Sciences of Life and Environment, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Sciences of Life and Environment, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyDepartment of Sciences of Life and Environment, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria, 09042 Monserrato, ItalyThe aim of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-HIV, and cholinesterase inhibitory activities of aqueous and alcoholic extracts from leaves, stems, and flowers of Euphorbia characias. The extracts showed a high antioxidant activity and were a good source of total polyphenols and flavonoids. Ethanolic extracts from leaves and flowers displayed the highest inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, showing potential properties against Alzheimer’s disease. Antimicrobial assay showed that leaves and flowers extracts were active against all Gram-positive bacteria tested. The ethanolic leaves extract appeared to have the strongest antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus with MIC value of 312.5 μg/mL followed by Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus that also exhibited good sensitivity with MIC values of 1250 μg/mL. Moreover, all the extracts possessed anti-HIV activity. The ethanolic flower extract was the most potent inhibitor of HIV-1 RT DNA polymerase RNA-dependent and Ribonuclease H with IC50 values of 0.26 and 0.33 μg/mL, respectively. The LC-DAD metabolic profile showed that ethanolic leaves extract contains high levels of quercetin derivatives. This study suggests that Euphorbia characias extracts represent a good source of natural bioactive compounds which could be useful for pharmaceutical application as well as in food system for the prevention of the growth of food-borne bacteria and to extend the shelf-life of processed foods.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1538703
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Maria Barbara Pisano
Sofia Cosentino
Silvia Viale
Delia Spanò
Angela Corona
Francesca Esposito
Enzo Tramontano
Paola Montoro
Carlo Ignazio Giovanni Tuberoso
Rosaria Medda
Francesca Pintus
spellingShingle Maria Barbara Pisano
Sofia Cosentino
Silvia Viale
Delia Spanò
Angela Corona
Francesca Esposito
Enzo Tramontano
Paola Montoro
Carlo Ignazio Giovanni Tuberoso
Rosaria Medda
Francesca Pintus
Biological Activities of Aerial Parts Extracts of Euphorbia characias
BioMed Research International
author_facet Maria Barbara Pisano
Sofia Cosentino
Silvia Viale
Delia Spanò
Angela Corona
Francesca Esposito
Enzo Tramontano
Paola Montoro
Carlo Ignazio Giovanni Tuberoso
Rosaria Medda
Francesca Pintus
author_sort Maria Barbara Pisano
title Biological Activities of Aerial Parts Extracts of Euphorbia characias
title_short Biological Activities of Aerial Parts Extracts of Euphorbia characias
title_full Biological Activities of Aerial Parts Extracts of Euphorbia characias
title_fullStr Biological Activities of Aerial Parts Extracts of Euphorbia characias
title_full_unstemmed Biological Activities of Aerial Parts Extracts of Euphorbia characias
title_sort biological activities of aerial parts extracts of euphorbia characias
publisher Hindawi Limited
series BioMed Research International
issn 2314-6133
2314-6141
publishDate 2016-01-01
description The aim of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-HIV, and cholinesterase inhibitory activities of aqueous and alcoholic extracts from leaves, stems, and flowers of Euphorbia characias. The extracts showed a high antioxidant activity and were a good source of total polyphenols and flavonoids. Ethanolic extracts from leaves and flowers displayed the highest inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, showing potential properties against Alzheimer’s disease. Antimicrobial assay showed that leaves and flowers extracts were active against all Gram-positive bacteria tested. The ethanolic leaves extract appeared to have the strongest antibacterial activity against Bacillus cereus with MIC value of 312.5 μg/mL followed by Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus that also exhibited good sensitivity with MIC values of 1250 μg/mL. Moreover, all the extracts possessed anti-HIV activity. The ethanolic flower extract was the most potent inhibitor of HIV-1 RT DNA polymerase RNA-dependent and Ribonuclease H with IC50 values of 0.26 and 0.33 μg/mL, respectively. The LC-DAD metabolic profile showed that ethanolic leaves extract contains high levels of quercetin derivatives. This study suggests that Euphorbia characias extracts represent a good source of natural bioactive compounds which could be useful for pharmaceutical application as well as in food system for the prevention of the growth of food-borne bacteria and to extend the shelf-life of processed foods.
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/1538703
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