Seeds of Peganum Harmala L. Chemical Analysis, Antimalarial and Antioxidant Activities, and Cytotoxicity Against Human Breast Cancer Cells

Title:Seeds of Peganum Harmala L. Chemical Analysis, Antimalarial and Antioxidant Activities, and Cytotoxicity Against Human Breast Cancer Cells

Volume: 11 Issue: 1

Author(s): Naziha Chabir, Hany Ibrahim, Mehrez Romdhane, Alexis Valentin, Beatrice Moukarzel, Mohamed Mars and Jalloul Bouajila

Affiliation:

Keywords: Antimalarial, antioxidant, cytotoxic, extracts, Peganum harmala L., phenolics.

Abstract: The present study evaluated the levels of total phenolics, flavonoids, tannins and anthocyanins from Peganum harmala L. seeds and determined their antioxidant, antiplasmodial and anticancer potentials. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH and ABTS assays. Extracts of P. harmala seeds from Oudref and Djerba (two places in Tunisia) were obtained by successive extraction solvents: petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, ethanol and water. Their composition was evaluated for phenolics (gallic acid equivalent 2.48 to 72.52 g/kg), tannins (catechin equivalent 0 to 25.27 g/kg), anthocyanins (cyanidin equivalent 0 to 20.56 mg/kg) and flavonoids (quercetin equivalent 0 to 3.12 g/kg). Ethanolic extract exerted the highest activities against a chloroquine-resistant strain of Plasmodium falciparum (IC₅₀=23 mg/L), against human breast cancer cells MCF7 (IC₅₀=32 mg/L) and against free radical (IC₅₀=19.09±3.07 mg/L). Correlations were studied between each chemical family and the three activities. Total phenolics content exhibited the highest correlation with antiplasmodial activity (R²=0.92) and with anticancer activity (R²=0.86), respectively.

Cite this article as:

Chabir Naziha, Ibrahim Hany, Romdhane Mehrez, Valentin Alexis, Moukarzel Beatrice, Mars Mohamed and Bouajila Jalloul, Seeds of Peganum Harmala L. Chemical Analysis, Antimalarial and Antioxidant Activities, and Cytotoxicity Against Human Breast Cancer Cells, Medicinal Chemistry 2015; 11 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1573406410666140613152434