title: Antiprotozoal Effect of Artemisia indica Extracts and Essential Oil.
abstract: Diverse solvent extracts of Artemisia indica leaves originating from the West Bengal region (India) were assessed for the content of artemisinin and characteristic Artemisia polymethoxyflavonoids, namely eupatin (1), casticin (2), chrysoplenetin (3), cirsilineol (4), chrysophenol-D (5), and artemetin (6). HPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS were used to investigate the extracts macerated by solvents of increasing polarity, i.e., petroleum ether, n-hexane, dichloromethane, acetone, MeOH, or EtOH (either 96, 80, or 60 % v/v), and hot water. Artemisinin was absent in all extracts. The acetone and EtOH extracts comprised the highest levels of polymethoxyflavonoids, whereas no flavonoid could be detected in the infusion. None of the remaining extracts contained chryosphenol-D (5) or artemetin (6), while chrysoplenetin (3) was found in all extracts. The essential oil of the plant was also obtained by hydrodistillation and analysed by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry simultaneously. Of the 92 compounds detected in the oil, camphor (13.0 %) and caryophyllene oxide (10.87 %) were the major components. All solvent extracts and the volatile oil showed in vitro antimalarial activity, plus a potential malaria prophylactic effect by inhibiting at least two recombinant plasmodial fatty acid biosynthesis (PfFAS-II) enzymes. Except for the infusion, all extracts were also active against other parasitic protozoa and displayed low cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. This is the first detailed study investigating both artemisinin and polymethoxyflavonoid content as well as in vitro malaria prophylactic and detailed antiprotozoal potential of A. indica extracts against a panel of protozoan parasites. This is also the first report of antiparasitic activity of the essential oil of the plant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Deniz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tasdemir
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical and Biological Chemistry, Centre for Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy, School of Pharmacy, University of London, London, United Kingdom.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tierney
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Rupashree
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sen
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Building of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Camilla
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Bergonzi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Betül
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Demirci
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Building of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bilia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskisehir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Kemal Hüsnü Can
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Baser
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Reto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Brun
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Mitali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chatterjee
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019306:Artemisia / Q000737:chemistry*; D037621:Artemisinins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D002460:Cell Line; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D007194:India; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D037621:Artemisinins; D005419:Flavonoids; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils; C031327:artemisinin