Evaluation of anti-microbial and cytotoxicity of Artemisia fragrans

Abstract

Objective: The genus Artemisia (34 species) (Asteraceae) are known to show several biological activities anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and anti-malarial. Mentioned pharmacological activities have been attributed to presence of coumarins, flavonoids and terpenes. Scope: Regarding the importance of reported biological effects of other species, it seems to be rational to evaluate anti-microbial and anti-proliferative studies on this species. Experimental: The aerial parts of the plant were extracted successively using n-hexane, chloroform and methanol by soxhlet apparetus. Anti-microbial activity of the extracts against gram positive and negative strains, as well as a fungi were evaluated by agar disc diffusion. All extracts along with fractions of potent extract were selected for MIC (minimum inhibitory concentrations) determination using microtitre plate assay. Subsequently, anti proliferative activity of extracts was assessed by MTT assay. Subsequently, cytotoxic activity of all VLC fractions of the potent extract was investigated and their phytochemical profiles were determined by GC-MS method. Furthermore, the mechanism of cytotoxicity was assessed by flowcytometry method. Results: Among the extracts and VLC fractions, the chloroform and 100% VLC fractions were more effective against all gram positives and C.albicans strains. In terms of Cytotoxicity, chloroform extract of aerial parts and its 100%, 80% and 60% fractions demonstrated growth inhibitory effects on MCF7 cell line after 24h with IC50= 538.1±8.76 µg.ml-1 84.98±22.16, 71.90±4.17 , 182.8±127.77 and respectively. Although 60% fraction inhibited cancerous cells via necrosis mechanism, 80% and 100% were neither apoptosis nor necrosis. Conclusion: The results of this study have been shown that chloroform extract simentanously inhibites growth of cancerous cells as well as microbial strains. Overally, the results of cytotoxicity were showed chloroform extract and its 100%, 80% and 60% fractions for having potent secondry metabolites significantley inhibit the cancerous cells and had minimum toxicity on normal cell line.