title: Evaluation of phytochemical content, antimicrobial, cytotoxic and antitumor activities of extract from Rumex hastatus D. Don roots.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Being a part of Chinese as well as ayurdic herbal system, roots of Rumex hastatus D. Don (RH) is highly medicinal, used to regulated blood pressure. It is also reported that the plant is diuretic, laxative, tonic, used against microbial skin diseases, bilious complaints and jaundice. The present study is conducted to evaluate phytochemical, antimicrobial, antitumor and cytotoxic activities of extract obtained from R. hastatus roots.
  
  
  METHODS
  RH roots were powdered and extracted with methanol to get crude extract. Crude extract was further fractioned on the basis of increasing polarity, with n-hexane (HRR), chloroform (CRR), ethyl acetate (ERR), n-butanol (BRR) and residual aqueous fraction (ARR). Methanol extract and its derived fractions were subjected to phytochemical screening and assayed for antibacterial activities via agar well diffusion method. Antifungal activities were checked through agar tube dilution method whereas potato disc assay was employed for the determination of antitumor activity. On the other hand cytotoxic activities were conducted using brine shrimps procedures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results obtained from phytochemical analysis indicate the presence of alkaloids, anthraquinones, flavonoids and saponins in all the fractions. Most of the plant fractions showed substantial antimicrobial activities, which is in accordance with the spacious use of tested plant samples in primary healthcare center. Fractions of R. hastatus roots for cytotoxicity were tested as an effective cytotoxic was found as BRR > MRR > CRR > ARR > ERR > HRR. Ranking order of fractions of R. hastatus roots for effective antitumor screening was found as MRR > BRR > ARR > CRR > ERR > HRR.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results showed that R. hastatus appeared as an important source for the discovery of new antimicrobial drugs and antitumor agents; verify its traditional uses and its exploitation as therapeutic agent.
authors.affiliation: Botanical Sciences Division, Pakistan Museum of Natural History, Garden Avenue, Shakarparian, Islamabad, Pakistan. Sumariasahreen@gmail.com.|Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan. Sumariasahreen@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Sumaira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahreen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan. mrkhanqau@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad Rashid
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, Pakistan. rahmatgul_81@yahoo.com.|Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Science and Technology Bannu, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. rahmatgul_81@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Rahmat Ali
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry Mohammed First University, Faculty of Sciences Materials Chemistry Laboratory, Oujda, 60000, Morocco. Taibibenhada@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Taibi Ben
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Hadda
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry*; D031804:Rumex / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts