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Planta Med 2022; 88(09/10): 753-761
DOI: 10.1055/a-1652-1547
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers

More Than Just a Weed: An Exploration of the Antimicrobial Activity of Rumex crispus using a Multivariate Data Analysis Approach

Chantal V. Pelzer
1   Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro NC, United States
,
Joëlle Houriet
1   Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro NC, United States
,
William J. Crandall
1   Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro NC, United States
,
Daniel A. Todd
1   Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro NC, United States
,
Nadja B. Cech 
1   Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro NC, United States
,
Derick D. Jones  Jr.
1   Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Greensboro NC, United States
2   Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago IL, United States
› Author AffiliationsSupported by: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine R15 AT010191
Supported by: National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine T32 AT008938
Supported by: National Institute of General Medical Sciences K12GM139186
› Further Information
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Abstract

Plants have a long history of use for their medicinal properties. The complexity of botanical extracts presents unique challenges and necessitates the application of innovative approaches to correctly identify and quantify bioactive compounds. For this study, we used untargeted metabolomics to explore the antimicrobial activity of Rumex crispus (yellow dock), a member of the Polygonaceae family used as an herbal remedy for bacterial infections. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass-spectrometry (UPLC-MS) was used to identify and quantify the known antimicrobial compound emodin. In addition, we used biochemometric approaches to integrate data measuring antimicrobial activity from R. crispus root starting material and fractions against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) with UPLC-MS data. Our results support the hypothesis that multiple constituents, including the anthraquinone emodin, contribute to the antimicrobial activity of R. crispus against MRSA.

Key words

Botanicals - biochemometrics - selectivity ratio - ultra-performance liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry - Rumex crispus - Polygonaceae

Supporting Information

    The dose response curves, calibration curve, MS/MS data and an extraction flowchart are available in the Supporting Information.

  • Supporting Information


Publication History

Received: 12 July 2021

Accepted after revision: 15 September 2021

Article published online:
25 October 2021

© 2021. Thieme. All rights reserved.

Georg Thieme Verlag KG
Rüdigerstraße 14, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany

 

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