Preliminary phytochemical analysis and in vitro evaluation of antioxidant, antimalarial and xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of Alcea glabrata Alef

Abstract

Introduction: Alcea glabrata is from the Malvaceae family. Genus Alcea includes about 75 species worldwide, and various therapeutic-biological activities of species of this genus have been observed. Purpose: A. glabrata from the Malvaceae family, was selected for evaluating its xanthine oxidase inhibitory, anti-malarial, and antioxidant activities. In addition, some phytochemical analysis upon different extracts of A. glabrata were performed. Methods: Aerial parts of the collected A. glabrata plant material were dried and solvent extracted via soxhlet apparatus using different solvents. Various chromatographic techniques were used for extra fractionation of the achieved extracts. Xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory, antimalarial and antioxidant activity assays upon different A. glabrata extracts and fractions were carried out and reported in terms of IC50s. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the A. glabrata methanol extract (MeOH) were determined using the DPPH assay, aluminum chloride colorimetric, and Folin-Ciocalteu reagents, respectively. Water-distilled essential oil was extracted via Clevenger apparatus and the content was analyzed by GC-MS apparatus.Results: MeOH extract showed the highest XO inhibitory activity with the IC50 of 0.37 ± 0.05 mg/mL antioxidant activity with the RC50 of 0.24 ± 0.06 mg/mL. While, chloroform extract revealed the strongest antimalarial activity with the IC50 of 0.4 ± 0.05 mg/mL. The total flavonoid and phenolic contents of the A. glabrata methanol extract were 39.8 mg quercetin equivalent and 6.1 g gallic acid equivalent per 100gr of dry plant material, respectively. GC-MS analysis showed that the monoterpenes were prevailing in A. glabrata essential oil.Conclusion: Concerning the results of this study, A. glabrata extracts and its ingredients could be considered as a novel promising herbal medicine in the design and also treatment of new drugs for the relief of gout and malaria diseases.