title: Anthraquinone profile, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of bark extracts of Rhamnus catharticus and R. orbiculatus.
abstract: The anthraquinone profile, antioxidant and antimicrobial activities as well as the total phenol and total flavonoid contents were determined in methanol extracts of the barks of Rhamnus catharticus L. and R. orbiculatus Bornm. The most abundant anthraquinone derivatives in R. catharticus were physcion (67.8%) and emodin (26.2%), while R. orbiculatus contained mostly physcion (81.3%) and chrysophanol (14.6%). R. catharticus displayed better activity in the beta-carotene-linoleic acid assay, as well as chelating activity, whereas its activity in the reducing power assay was significantly lower than that of R. orbiculatus. Both methanol extracts showed antimicrobial activity against all microbial species tested (Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger, Microsporum gypseum) with MIC values either equal to or lower than 2.50 mg/mL. R. catharticus and R. orbiculatus contained several anthranoid aglycones and their bark extracts demonstrated notable antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. The results obtained indicate the medicinal potential of these two species.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi "G. D'Annunzio" di Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66100 Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Locatelli
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Epifano
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Genovese
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Carlucci
authors.forename: Marijana Zovko
authors.initials: MZ
authors.lastname: Koncić
authors.forename: Ivan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kosalec
authors.forename: Dario
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kremer
mesh_terms: D000880:Anthraquinones / Q000737:chemistry*; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D024301:Plant Bark / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031955:Rhamnus / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000880:Anthraquinones; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts