Biological properties and polyphenols content of Algerian Cistus salviifolius L. aerial parts
Sihem Boubekeur, Mohammed Messaoudi, Chinaza Godswill Awuchi, Olutosin Ademola Otekunrin, Barbara Sawicka, Samira Idjeri-Mecherara, Sihem Bouchareb, Aïcha Hassani, Majid Sharifi‐Rad, Samir Begaa, Abdelkrim Rebiai
Abstract
This study evaluated the <em>in vitro</em> antioxidant properties, antibacterial and antifungal activities and <em>in vivo</em> anti-inflammatory properties, and identifying the phenolic compounds in <em>Cistus salviifolius</em>. The methanolic leaf extract showed the highest antioxidant activity with 6.1±1.60 µg/ml IC<sub>50 </sub>value using DPPH<sup>·</sup> and 55.5±0.20 µg/ml using Reducing Power Activity. The study revealed that the butanolic leaf extract and the aqueous leaf infusion exhibited the strongest growth-inhibiting effect against all Gram<sup> </sup>positive and Gram negative strains tested, respectively, whereas the methanolic leaf extract showed the strongest antifungal activity against the yeast tested. The MIC value for the butanolic leaf extract was 4 mg/ml against <em>Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis</em> and <em>Escherichia coli</em>. The pharmacotoxicological tests proved the safety of the aqueous leaf infusion, which exhibit a moderate anti-inflammatory effect, with a significant inhibition of the oedema development equal to 44.7% compared to 59.3% for the reference product diclofenac sodium. Methanolic extracts of the leaf and flower buds showed varied contents of polyphenols, flavonoids, and hydrolysable tannins; which were 228.4±11.4 mg GAE/g, 34.2±0.6 mg QE/g, and 36.9±2.6 mg TAE/g of the dry weight for leaves; and 241.1±5.4 mg GAE/g, 47.6±4.5 mg QE/g, and 22.0±1.3 mg TAE/g of the dry weight for flower buds, respectively. Analysis of the ethereal and butanolic leaf extracts using Reversed Phase High Performance Liquid Chromatographic Method coupled with a Photodiode-Array Detector identified thirteen phenolic compounds, including ascorbic acid, vanillic acid, gallic acid, quercetin, and orientin.