title: Analysis of pyrrolizidine alkaloids and evaluation of some biological activities of Algerian Senecio delphinifolius (Asteraceae).
abstract: Although Senecio species are known as sources of potentially toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs), some species of this genus are traditionally used as remedies, notably in Algeria. In this paper, the evaluation of biological activities and the analysis of PAs of Algerian specimens of Senecio delphinifolius Vahl are reported. The n-butanolic extract of the herb showed a weak antibacterial effect against Escherichia coli with a MIC of 1 mg/mL, but was inactive against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The n-butanolic extracts of the roots, stems and herb showed a modest antioxidant activity, scavenging the free radical DPPH with respective IC50 values of 55.3, 50.2 and 13.3 microg/mL. A cytotoxic effect against a series of human tumor cell lines was observed with the n-butanolic extract from stems (IC50 ranging between 34 and 88 microg/mL). The herb of the evaluated sample contains 140 ppm of PAs (senecionine, seneciphylline, integerrimine, senkirkine) and PA-related alkaloids (dehydrosenkirkine and neosenkirkine). As the major PAs belong to the toxic series (1,2-unsaturation in the pyrrolizidine cycle and macrocyclic diester), the use of S. delphinifolius should be discouraged in traditional medicine.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Natural Products and Organic Synthesis, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University Mentouri-Constantine, Algeria.
authors.forename: Soukaina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tidjani
authors.forename: Philippe N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Okusa
authors.forename: Amar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zellagui
authors.forename: Laetitia Moreno Y
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Banuls
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stévigny
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duez
authors.forename: Salah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rhouati
mesh_terms: D000462:Algeria; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D006801:Humans; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids / Q000032:analysis*; D012674:Senecio / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D011763:Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids