Chemical profiling and multidirectional biological effects of the aerial parts of two wild Commicarpus species; C. grandiflorus and C. plumbagineus.

BACKGROUND

Commicarpus grandiflorus (A.Rich.) Standl. (CG), and Commicarpus plumbagineus (Cav.) Standl. (CP) (Nyctaginaceae family) have long been utilized in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments, including urinary tract infections, dysmenorrhea, and blood coagulation disorders.

METHODS

The chemical composition of the aerial parts of both plants, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined. The antioxidant effects of total methanolic extracts and fractions obtained thereof; methylene chloride (MC) and remaining water (RW) fractions, and their inhibitory potentialson COX-1, COX-2, LOX, ACh, BuCh, and α-glucosidase, were assessed.

RESULTS

The RW fractions of CP and CG exhibited the highest phenolic (57.19 ± 2.43-60.19 ± 1.5 µg GAE/mg) and flavonoid contents (44.32 ± 1.8-53.99 ± 1.8 µg QE/mg), respectively. Also, both fractions demonstrated remarkable antioxidant effects; ABTS+⋅ value of 24.85 ± 1.59 and 18.17 ± 1.06 µg/mL, FRAP values of 448.96 ± 37.49 and 773.88 ± 39.13 µMTE/mg, and ORAC values of 9858.06 ± 43.92 and 7666.59 ± 1066.85 µMTE/mg, respectively. Additionally, they exhibited the highest inhibitory against COX-1 (IC50 of 1.83 ± 0.05 and 1.86 ± 0.05 µg/mL), COX-2 (0.6 ± 0.1 and 0.69 ± 0.01 µg/mL), LOX (3 ± 0.1 and 2.9 ± 0.1 µg/mL), AChE (11.54 ± 1.34 and 10.52 ± 0.45 µg/mL), BChE (18.63 ± 1.01 and 16.09 ± 0.54 µg/mL), and α-glucosidase (86.85 ± 6.66 and 46.69 ± 1.22 µg/mL) enzymes, respectively. A comprehensive analysis identified a total of 42 compounds in both samples, with flavonols, hydroxycinnamic acids, and fatty acids as the predominant classes.

CONCLUSIONS

Both samples showed enzyme inhibitory potential against key enzymes linked to chronic diseases. The findings highlight the significant potential of both CG and CP, warranting further research for drug development and biomedicines.