Romanian Society of Pharmaceutical Sciences
 

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EVALUATION OF ANTITUMOUR, ANTIBACTERIAL AND ANTIOXIDANT EFFECTS OF HYDROALCOHOLIC EXTRACTS FROM LEMON BALM LEAVES AND STEMS

IOAN-ALEXANDRU CÎMPEANU 1#, DALIBORCA VLAD 2#, MIHAELA BOTA 3*, LAVINIA VLAIA 3,4, DELIA MUNTEAN 5,6, IASMINA-ALEXANDRA PREDESCU 7,8, DAN ILIESCU 9

1Doctoral School, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
2 Biochemistry and Pharmacology Department, Discipline of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
3 Department II—Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
4 Formulation and Technology of Drugs Research Centre, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
5 Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
6 Multidisciplinary Research Centre on Antimicrobial Resistance, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania
7 Research Centre for Pharmaco-Toxicological Evaluation, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
8 Discipline of Toxicology, Drug Industry, Management and Legislation, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Victor Babeş” University of Medicine and Pharmacy Timișoara, 2 Eftimie Murgu Square, 300041, Timișoara, Romania
9 University Clinic of Surgical Semiology I and Thoracic Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, “Victor Babeș” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 300041 Timișoara, Romania

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The present research focuses on the evaluation of phytochemicals and the pharmacological effects of two hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from different parts of Romanian lemon balm (leaves and stems). The LC-MS analysis revealed a wide range of bioactive compounds, including phenolic acids and flavonoids, with rosmarinic acid as the principal constituent. Regarding the total phenols content (TPC), it was found that the extract obtained from the leaves (LB_L) has a higher amount of TPC compared to the lemon balm stem extract (LB_S). Both extracts exhibit concentration-dependent antioxidant potential in the DPPH free radical assay and significant antimicrobial effect against Gram-positive bacteria. In addition, both extracts exerted a cytotoxic effect on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and inhibited cell migration and proliferation. Therefore, this study confirms the antitumour potential of lemon balm hydroalcoholic extracts against human breast adenocarcinoma cells.