Biological activities of Sideritis cypria Post extracts

Abstract

Sideritis cypria Post consists an endemic and endangered species in Northern Cyprus, used in folk medicine [1]. There are recent studies about its phytochemical profile, antioxidant activity, as well as its nutritional and mineral contents [1] [2] [3] [4].

The present study focuses on the bio-guided investigation of the methanol extract of cultivated S. cypria driven by in vitro antioxidant, cytotoxic and antimicrobial assays. The crude extract revealed strong antioxidant properties which was ascribed to a high phenolic profile. On the other hand, the extract did not exhibit any cytotoxicity, though some fractions containing phytosterols, ent-kaurane diterpenoids and apigenin derivatives possessed strong cytotoxic activity on MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells. In addition, apigenin derivatives were examined separately on the aforesaid cancer cell line, confirming their involvement in the cytotoxicity of the fractions.

Concerning the antimicrobial assay, neither the crude extract nor the fractions revealed any activity.

In continuation of this study, the dichloromethane extract of this cultivated species and its fractions were tested against AChE and BChE, showing moderate inhibition. Thus, the bioactive fractions were chosen for phytochemical analysis. Up to now, four ent-kaurane diterpenes were isolated. 1H-NMR of the crude extract revealed the presence of triterpenes, diterpenes, flavonoids.