Qualitative, Quantitative, Cytotoxic, Free Radical Scavenging, and Antimicrobial Characteristics of Hypericum lanuginosum from Palestine

Abstract

Hypericum lanuginosum is one of the traditional medicinal plants that grows in the arid area of the Al-Naqab desert in Palestine and is used by Bedouins to heal various communicable and non-communicable illnesses. The purpose of this investigation was to estimate the total phenolic, flavonoid, and tannin contents of aqueous, methanol, acetone, and hexane H. lanuginosum extracts and evaluate their cytotoxic, anti-oxidative, and antimicrobial properties. Qualitative phytochemical tests were used to identify the major phytochemical classes in H. lanuginosum extracts, while total phenol, flavonoid, and tannin contents were determined using Folin–Ciocalteu, aluminum chloride, and vanillin assays, respectively. Moreover, a microdilution test was employed to estimate the antimicrobial activity of H. lanuginosum extracts against several microbial species. At the same time, the cytotoxic and free radical scavenging effects were evaluated using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium (MTS) and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) assays, respectively. Quantitative examinations showed that the highest amounts of phenols, flavonoids, and tannins were noticed in the H. lanuginosum aqueous extract. Moreover, H. lanuginosum aqueous extract showed potent activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus even more than Amoxicillin and Ofloxacin antibiotics, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentrations (MICs) of 0.78 ± 0.01, 0, and 1.56 ± 0.03 µg/mL, respectively. Additionally, the aqueous extract exhibited the highest activity against Candida albicans and Epidermatophyton floccosum pathogens, with MIC values of 0.78 ± 0.01 µg/mL. Actually, the aqueous extract showed more potent antimold activity than Ketoconazole against E. floccosum with MICs of 0.78 ± 0.01 and 1.56 ± 0.02 µg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, all H. lanuginosum extracts showed potential cytotoxic effects against breast cancer (MCF-7), hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep 3B and Hep G2), and cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) tumor cell lines. In addition, the highest free radical scavenging activity was demonstrated by H. lanuginosum aqueous extract compared with Trolox with IC50 doses of 6.16 ± 0.75 and 2.23 ± 0.57 µg/mL, respectively. Studying H. lanuginosum aqueous extract could lead to the development of new treatments for diseases such as antibiotic-resistant microbes and cancer, as well as for oxidative stress-related disorders such as oxidative stress. H. lanuginosum aqueous extract may help in the design of novel natural preservatives and therapeutic agents.

Outstanding Antibacterial Activity of Hypericum rochelii—Comparison of the Antimicrobial Effects of Extracts and Fractions from Four Hypericum Species Growing in Bulgaria with a Focus on Prenylated Phloroglucinols

“…As also mentioned, MRSA is becoming a common isolate of S. aureus [ 4 ], and though it was not as susceptible as the latter or E. faecalis , the MIC, inhibition of CFU growth and MBC values of the three best extracts in the range of 9.8–39, 9.8–313 and 78–625 mg/L, respectively, were also promising ( Table 5 ). The results may not have been as good as those of H. lanuginosum Lam., which exerted a MIC value on MRSA of 0.78 mg/L [ 50 ], but were comparable to the other outstanding effect that we knew of, namely, the inhibitory concentration of 50 (IC 50 ) < 5 mg/L for H. laricifolium Juss and other spp. [ 64 ].…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, H. perforatum produced the most active extract with a MIC of 0.625 mg/L against Lactobacillus spp. [ 50 ]. The next best results belonged to H. lanuginosum , with a MIC of 0.78 mg/L against S. aureus , MRSA and the fungi C. albicans , with a MIC 0.78 mg/L and comparable or more potent activity than the control antibiotic [ 50 ].…”

“…[ 50 ]. The next best results belonged to H. lanuginosum , with a MIC of 0.78 mg/L against S. aureus , MRSA and the fungi C. albicans , with a MIC 0.78 mg/L and comparable or more potent activity than the control antibiotic [ 50 ]. Therefore, a good antifungal effect of St John’s wort spp.…”

“…While the effect of the H. perforatum extract could be attributed to the high amount of hypericin (0.1–0.2 mg/mL) [ 84 ], the aqueous extract could not contain prenylated phloroglucinols, but had the highest amount of phenols, flavonoids and tannins. It was not commented on whether the phenols contained hypericins [ 50 ].…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, the most potent extract belonged to a hydroalcoholic extract of H. perforatum with a MIC of 0.625 mg/L against cariogenic Lactobacillus spp. [ 50 ].…”