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Planta Med 2015; 81(12/13): 1029-1037
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1546125
Biological and Pharmacological Activity
Original Papers
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Antiprotozoal Effect of Artemisia indica Extracts and Essential Oil[*]

Deniz Tasdemir
1   Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University of London, London, United Kingdom
6   Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
7   Current address: GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Marine Natural Products Chemistry, Kiel, Germany
,
Michelle Tierney
1   Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University of London, London, United Kingdom
,
Rupashree Sen
2   Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
,
Maria Camilla Bergonzi
3   Department of Chemistry, Building of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
,
Betül Demirci
4   Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey
,
Anna Rita Bilia
3   Department of Chemistry, Building of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
,
Kemal Hüsnü Can Baser
4   Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey
5   Department of Botany and Microbiology, College of Science, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
,
Reto Brun
6   Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
,
Mitali Chatterjee
2   Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 10 March 2015
revised 24 April 2015

accepted 28 April 2015

Publication Date:
17 June 2015 (online)

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Abstract

Diverse solvent extracts of Artemisia indica leaves originating from the West Bengal region (India) were assessed for the content of artemisinin and characteristic Artemisia polymethoxyflavonoids, namely eupatin (1), casticin (2), chrysoplenetin (3), cirsilineol (4), chrysophenol-D (5), and artemetin (6). HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS were used to investigate the extracts macerated by solvents of increasing polarity, i.e., petroleum ether, n-hexane, dichloromethane, acetone, MeOH, or EtOH (either 96, 80, or 60 % v/v), and hot water. Artemisinin was absent in all extracts. The acetone and EtOH extracts comprised the highest levels of polymethoxyflavonoids, whereas no flavonoid could be detected in the infusion. None of the remaining extracts contained chryosphenol-D (5) or artemetin (6), while chrysoplenetin (3) was found in all extracts. The essential oil of the plant was also obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry simultaneously. Of the 92 compounds detected in the oil, camphor (13.0 %) and caryophyllene oxide (10.87 %) were the major components. All solvent extracts and the volatile oil showed in vitro antimalarial activity, plus a potential malaria prophylactic effect by inhibiting at least two recombinant plasmodial fatty acid biosynthesis (PfFAS-II) enzymes. Except for the infusion, all extracts were also active against other parasitic protozoa and displayed low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. This is the first detailed study investigating both artemisinin and polymethoxyflavonoid content as well as in vitro malaria prophylactic and detailed antiprotozoal potential of A. indica extracts against a panel of protozoan parasites. This is also the first report of antiparasitic activity of the essential oil of the plant.

Key words

Artemisia indica - Asteraceae - polymethoxyflavonoid - essential oil - HPLC-DAD - LC-MS - malaria - Plasmodium FAS-II

* Dedicated to Professor Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Adolf Nahrstedt on the occasion of his 75th birthday.


 

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