HPLC-DAD phenolics screening and in vitro investigation of haemostatic, antidiabetic, antioxidant and photoprotective properties of Centaurea tougourensis Boiss. & Reut.
Abstract
Introduction: Traditional medicine has an important place in human history and this since antiquity. Indeed,
during Egyptian and Chinese civilization era, many detailed manuscripts, describing the therapeutic
effect of plants, were found which suggest that folk medicine is the basis of the actual medicine.
Objective: To investigate the phytochemical and pharmacological properties of the n-butanol (n-BuOH)
and ethyl acetate (EA) extracts of the aerial part of Centaurea tougourensis.
Methods: The phytochemical evaluation was done based on HPLC-DAD approach. The antioxidant activity
was determined by DPPH and cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), while the hemostatic
effect was performed using plasma recalcification time (PRT) method. The antidiabetic capacity was
investigated by alpha-amylase inhibition assay and the photoprotective test was evaluated by the measurement
of sun protection factor (SPF). Results: 13 phenolic compounds were identified in both extracts of C. tougourensis. These extracts showed
antioxidant, haemostatic, antidiabetic and photoprotective properties with a dose-dependent manner.
Amounts of n-BuOH activities were found higher, with a respective IC50 value of 0.72±0.07 μg/ml in DPPH
assay, an A0.50 value lower than 3.125 μg/ml in CUPRAC assay besides a shortening rate percentage of coagulation
(86.71%) in haemostatic assay, a moderate inhibition effect on alpha amylase activity with an IC50
value of (711.5±0.03 μg/ml) and a maximum sun protection factor of (56.035). These results were mostly
found highly significant (p<0.001) when compared to respective standards.
Conclusion: This study demonstrated some pharmacological effects of C. tougourensis which suggests that
our plant could be a good candidate to treat some illnesses related to oxidative stress, bleeding or skin cancer.