Phytochemical Evaluation of Artemisia marschalliana Aerial Parts and Exploring its Potential Bioactivities
摘要
The medicinal plants of the Artemisia genus [Asteraceae] are broadly distributed in large areas of Iran and are well-known for the vast diversity of their secondary metabolites and pharmacological effects. This study was aimed at phytochemically investigating the aerial parts of Artemisia marschalliana in an effort to isolate pure compounds and evaluate the plant’s anti-oxidant, anti-malarial, and anti-microbial effects. The aerial parts of A. marschalliana were solvent extracted with n-hexane, dichloromethane, and methanol (MeOH), respectively, via a soxhlet device. The MeOH extract was further fractionated via solid-phase extraction. The purification of phytochemicals was accomplished through reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. For elucidation of the isolated chemical structures, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectra were scrutinized. Investigations conducted on A. marschalliana to isolate its chemical compounds led to the isolation of a phenylethanoid compound named salidroside, a phenolic compound known as tachioside, and a glucoside compound named 4-hydroxybenzoic acid 4-O-glucoside. The highest anti-oxidant activity was assigned to the MeOH extract and its 20% and 40% Sep-pak fractions, respectively. The crude MeOH extract exhibited the ultimate anti-malarial activity, to the extent that it was comparable to the highly endorsed anti-malarial drug chloroquine. The 40% and 10% MeOH Sep-pak fractions held the topmost anti-malarial effects. Moreover, among the crude extracts, the n-hexane extract demonstrated the maximum anti-microbial activity.
Graphical Abstract