Extraction of saponins and toxicological profile of Teucrium stocksianum boiss extracts collected from District Swat, Pakistan.
BACKGROUND
The current era is facing challenges in the management of neoplasia and weeds control. The currently available anti-cancer and herbicidal drugs are associated with some serious side effects. Therefore numerous researchers are trying to discover and develop plant based alternative particularly for the rational management of cancer and weed control. Teucrium stocksianum possess antioxidant and analgesic activities. The current study was designed to evaluate crude saponins (CS), methanolic extract and sub-fractions of T. stocksianum for cytotoxic and phytotoxic potentials. CS, methanolic extract and sub-fractions were extracted from powdered plant material using different solvents. Cytotoxic potential of the extracts at a dose of 10, 100 and 1000 μg/ml were evaluated against Brine shrimp's nauplii. Phytotoxic assay also performed at the same concentration against Lemna minor. Etoposide and Paraquat were used as positive controls in cytotoxic and phytotoxic assays respectively.


RESULTS
The percent yield of crude saponins was (5%). CS demonstrated tremendous brine shrimp lethality showing < 10 μg/ml LC50. The n-hexane (HF) and chloroform fractions (CF) demonstrated excellent cytotoxicity with 80 and 55 μg/ml LC50 respectively. Whereas the methanolic extract (TSME), ethyl acetate (EAF) and aqueous fractions (AF) revealed moderate cytotoxicity showing 620, 860 and 1000 μg/ml LC50 values respectively. In phytotoxic assay profound inhibition was displayed by HF (96.67%) and TSME (95.56%, 30 μg/ml LC50) against the growth of Lemna minor at 1000 μg/ml respectively. Both CF and EAF demonstrated profound phytoxicity (93.33%) respectively at highest concentration (1000 μg/ml), while AF and CS demonstrated weak phytotoxicity with 1350 and 710 μg/ml LC50 values respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Cytotoxicity and phytotoxicity assays indicated that the crude saponins, n-hexane and chloroform fractions of T. stocksianum could play a vital role in the treatment of neoplasia and as potential natural herbicides. Therefore these sub-fractions are recommended for further investigation with the aim to isolate novel anti-cancer and herbicidal compounds.
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Dir, Chakdara, Pakistan. shahpharmacist@yahoo.com.
Syed Muhammad Mukarram
SM
Shah
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Dir, Chakdara, Pakistan. sadiquom@yahoo.com.
Abdul
A
Sadiq
Department of Pharmacy, Sarhad University of Science and Information Technology, Peshawar, KPK, Pakistan. syedhassan41@yahoo.com.
Syed Muhammad Hassan
SM
Shah
Department of Pharmacy, University of Malakand, Dir, Chakdara, Pakistan. shahzeb_333@hotmail.com.
Shahzeb
S
Khan
D000818:Animals; D029064:Araceae / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006586:Hexanes; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008519:Medicine, Traditional / Q000379:methods; D000432:Methanol; D010154:Pakistan; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000633:toxicity; D012503:Saponins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000633:toxicity; D031367:Teucrium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000145:classification / Q000633:toxicity
D003603:Cytotoxins; D006586:Hexanes; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012503:Saponins; C040618:teucrium extract; C026385:n-hexane; D000432:Methanol