Fitoterapia 73(2002) 540–543

0367-326X/02/$ - see front matter� 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.PII: S0367-326XŽ02.00184-3

Short report

Antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity ofCarthamus lanatus

Rilka Taskova , Maya Mitova* , Hristo Najdenski ,a b, c

Iva Tzvetkova , Helmut Duddeckc d

Institute of Botany, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgariaa

Institute of Organic Chemistry with Centre of Phytochemistry, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia,b

BulgariaInstitute of Microbiology, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia 1113, Bulgariac

Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Hannover, 30167 Hannover, Germanyd

Received 6 June 2002; accepted 22 July 2002

Abstract

Total dichloromethane, methanol and water extracts, their fractions as well as volatiles ofCarthamus lanatus aerial parts were phytochemically screened and evaluated for antibacterial,antifungal and cytotoxic activity. The H OyMeOH fraction of the CH Cl extract exhibited2 2 2

noticeable antibacterial activity. The same fraction and the volatiles showed significantcytotoxic activity.� 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Keywords: Carthamus lanatus; Antimicrobial activity; Antifungal activity; Cytotoxicity

Plant. Carthamus lanatus L. (Asteraceae) aerial parts collected in July 2001 fromLosen village region and identified by Dr Rilka Taskova. A voucher specimen No156639 has been deposited in the Herbarium of the Institute of Botany, BulgarianAcademy of Sciences(SOM).

*Corresponding author. Tel:q359-96-06-146; fax:q359-2-700-225.E-mail address: maja@orgchm.bas.bg(M. Mitova).

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Table 1Antibacterial and antifungal activity ofCarthamus lanatusa

Sample Staphylococcus Escherichia Candidaaureus coli albicansZone of inhibition diameter(mm)

CH Cl extract2 2

Hexane fraction –b – –H OyMeOH fraction2 22.33"0.58 12.00"0.00 13.33"0.58

MeOH extract – –Hexane fraction – – –Et O fraction2 17.00"1.00 – –EtOAc fraction 15.67"0.58 – –BuOH fraction 13.33"0.58 – –H O fraction2 14.67"0.58 – –

50% MeOH extract – – 15.67"0.58

H O extract2 – – –Cellophane fraction 12.00"0.00 – –H O precipitate2 15.67"0.58 – –M)10 fraction3 13.00"1.00 – –M-10 fraction3 17.67"0.58 – –

Streptomycin (ref.)c 28.00"1.00 – –

Results are the mean of three replications; 500mgydisk.a

–, no activity(diameter of the inhibitory zone less than 10 mm means absence of activity).b

Tested at 100mgydisk.c

Uses in traditional medicine. As sedative and anti-tumor, with interferon-inducingactivities w1,2x.

Previously isolated classes of compounds. Sesquiterpene glycosides, flavonoids,aromatic acids, serotonins, lipids, amino acids, carbohydratesw2–8x.

Tested material. Total extracts of CH Cl , MeOH, 50%MeOH and water(yields:2 2

1.9, 10.8, 14 and 15% of dry wt, respectively) were obtained. Dichloromethaneextract gave positive tests for sesquiterpene glycosides, sterols, triterpenes, lipids;MeOH extract for sesquiterpene glycosides, sterols, triterpenes, lipids, flavonoids,glycosides, sugars; water extract for glycosides, amino acids, sugars. The CH Cl2 2

extract was separated by partition in hexane–MeOH–H O(19:19:2) wyield: 0.92

(lower layer residue) and 0.9%(upper layer residue), respectivelyx. The MeOHextract was separated by partition in hexane–MeOH–H O(19:19:2) and the lower2

layer successively extracted with Et O, EtOAc, BuOH, H O part(yield: 7.3, 1.2,2 2

0.2 and 0.6%, respectively). In the same way, the following were obtained from the50% MeOH extract: hexane, Et O, EtOAc, BuOH and H O fractions(yield: 0.6,2 2

3.3, 0.5, 0.7, 6.1%). The H O extract was divided into three parts, which were2

542 R. Taskova et al. / Fitoterapia 73 (2002) 540–543

Table 2Cytotoxicity of Carthamus lanatusa

Sample LD50

(mgyml)

CH Cl extract2 2 )1000Hexane fraction )1000H OyMeOH fraction2 47.99"17.49

MeOH extract )1000Hexane fraction )1000Et O fraction2 260.96"63.25EtOAc fraction 208.98"91.45BuOH fraction )1000H O fraction2 )1000

50% MeOH extract 318.17"53.67Hexane fraction )1000Et O fraction2 184.02"8.31EtOAc fraction 339.32"37.34BuOH fraction )1000H O fraction2 259.52"135.12

H O extract2 )1000Cellophane fraction )1000H O precipitate2 )1000M)10 fraction3 )1000M-10 fraction3 219.16"123.57

Volatiles 4.37"1.14

CAPE (reference) 0.45"0.5

Results are the mean of three replications.a

separated as follows:(a) a cellophane fraction(yield: 1.7%) by cellophane dialysis;(b) a precipitate obtained according to the scheme of Wakabayashi et al.w9x (yield1.4%); (c) separation on Sephadex G-25 yielded fractions withM)10 andM-3

10 (yield: 0.5, 0.6%, respectively). The volatiles(yield 0.04%) were obtained by3

a 4-h distillation–extraction in a Likerson–Nickerson apparatus.

Studied activity. Antibacterial activity by the modified disk diffusion method ofKujumdjiev w10x. Cytotoxicity by Artemia salina lethality (Brine shrimp assay)using caffeic acid phenetyl ester(CAPE) as active reference substancew11x.

Used microrganisms. Listed in Table 1.

Results and conclusions. Results obtained for antibacterial and antifungal activityof total extracts and fractions are reported inTable 1. Analysis of the data revealed

543R. Taskova et al. / Fitoterapia 73 (2002) 540–543

that among the tested extracts and fractions ofC. lanatus the H OyMeOH fraction2

of the CH Cl extract exhibited the highest rates of antibacterial activity. It was well2 2

demonstrated both againstS. aureus andE. coli. Interestingly, the same fraction andthe volatiles showed significant cytotoxic activity(Table 2) being in correlationwith the observed antibacterial activity.

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft(DFG), Germany,for financial support of this research.

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