RESEARCH REGARDING OBTAINING HERBAL EXTRACTS WITH
ANTITUMOUR ACTIVITY. NOTE II. PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS,
ANTIOXIDANT ACTIVITY AND CYTOTOXIC EFFECTS OF
CHELIDONIUM MAJUS L., MEDICAGO SATIVA L. AND BERBERIS
VULGARIS L. DRY EXTRACTS
CERASELA ELENA GÎRD1#, LIGIA ELENA DUŢU1#, TEODORA COSTEA1#, IOANA NENCU1#*, MARIA LIDIA POPESCU1#, TEODORA DALILA BALACI2#, OCTAVIAN TUDOREL OLARU 3#
1"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmacognosy, Phytochemistry and
Phytotherapy Department, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest, Romania
2"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology
and Biopharmacy, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956, Bucharest, Romania 3"Carol Davila" University of Medicine and
Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Botany and Cellular Biology Department, 6 Traian Vuia Street, 020956,
Bucharest, Romania
*corresponding author: ioanaitudor@gmail.com
#All authors have equal contribution
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Abstract:
The aim of our research was the evaluation of the antioxidant activity and cytotoxic properties, together with the phytochemical
characterization of selective dry extracts from greater celandine (Chelidonium majus L.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) aerial
parts and common barberry (Berberis vulgaris L.) bark that might be used to produce a phytomedicine with antitumour
activity. Dry extracts (obtained in 50% ethanol) were characterized by quantification of flavones, phenolcarboxylic acids,
total polyphenols and berberine, by means of spectrophotometric and HPLC methods. The scavenger activity upon DPPH
(2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl), ABTS·+ (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) free radicals and ferric
reducing power assays were used for the antioxidant capacity evaluation. Our results pointed out that common barberry dry
extract has the highest total phenolic content (14.95 g expressed as tannic acid/100 g dry extract), phenolcarboxylic acids
(3.64 g expressed as chlorogenic acid/100 g dry extract) and berberine (7.94 g/100 g dry extract). Alfalfa and greater
celandine dry extracts have similar flavones content (1.46 g expressed as rutin/100 g dry extract and 1.52 g respectively).
Common barberry dry extract showed the best antioxidant activity, irrespective of the method used (EC50 = 0.28 mg/mL -
reducing power assay, EC50 = 60.04 mg/mL - DPPH assay and EC50 = 54.08 mg/mL - ABTS·+ assay). Cytotoxic properties
against Daphnia magna decreased as follows: common barberry dry extract > greater celandine dry extract > alfalfa dry
extract. Our results offer encouraging premises for the formulation of a phytomedicine with potential antitumour activity.






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