A Morinda royoc Root Extract and Fractions Exhibit Antigiardial Activity without Affecting Cell Viability

Abstract

Background: The gastrointestinal parasite Giardia lamblia causes giardiasis. Its treatment with standard drugs produces side effects and improper treatment can generate resistant strains. New antigiardial compounds are needed. An analysis was done to identify the antigiardial activity of Morinda royoc, a plant used in traditional Mayan medicine to treat stomach and bowel pain. We aimed to assess the efficacy of M. royoc roots against G. lamblia and their effect on cells viability.
 Methods: A methanol extract was done of the root and then fractionated. The extract and fractions were tested in vitro on G. lamblia trophozoites and their effect on cell viability was quantified by flow cytometry. The active extract and fractions were analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and high-performance liquid chromatography.
 Results: The hexane fraction exhibited potent activity against G. lamblia (IC50 = 0.08 µg/mL). Its principal component was an anthraquinone-type compound. None of the fractions were toxic to human promyelocytic leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia and human mononuclear cells.
 Conclusion: The medicinal plant M. royoc contains promising bioactive agents with antigiardial activity and deserves further research.

Alizarin old and new: Extraction techniques for coloration, advances in detection methods for historical textiles and novel applications as a functional dye

“…3 The majority of plant-based substances responsible for red dyes belong to the anthraquinone class, which currently includes a large number of organic compounds with a primary structure of 9,10-anthracenedione, such as alizarin, purpurin, emodin, rubiadin and morindone. [4][5][6][7][8] These compounds are generally synthesised through the shikimate pathway combined with the methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate or mevalonate pathways, as well as the polyketide pathway, 7,9,10 and can be obtained from plant roots, bark and fruits. 11,12 In the scope of historical textiles, plantbased anthraquinone dyes were usually extracted from the Rubiaceae family, such as madder (Rubia spp.…”

“…extract were found in textile fragments from Chärchän (Xinjiang, China) dating back to 1000 BC, providing early evidence of plant‐derived colourants used in archaeological textiles 3 . The majority of plant‐based substances responsible for red dyes belong to the anthraquinone class, which currently includes a large number of organic compounds with a primary structure of 9,10‐anthracenedione, such as alizarin, purpurin, emodin, rubiadin and morindone 4–8 . These compounds are generally synthesised through the shikimate pathway combined with the methyl‐D‐erythritol 4‐phosphate or mevalonate pathways, as well as the polyketide pathway, 7,9,10 and can be obtained from plant roots, bark and fruits 11,12 .…”