title: GC-MS profile of antimicrobial and antioxidant fractions from Cordia rothii roots.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An ethnobotanical survey of Cordia rothii Roem. & Schult. (Boraginaceae) reveals it as a medicinal plant.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Antimicrobial and antioxidant potential evaluation and identification of chemical constituents via GC-MS of C. rothii roots fractions. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic investigation of the roots exploiting GC-MS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extraction and fractionation of C. rothii roots furnished various fractions using solvents of varying polarity, i.e., n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, acetone and methanol. In vitro antimicrobial and antioxidant screening was performed using disk diffusion and DPPH methods, respectively. MIC of active fractions was also determined using disk diffusion method. GC-MS was used to identify constituents which may be responsible for these activities.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among various fractions from C. rothii roots, fraction KA-C showed strong antibacterial activity against 17 microorganisms tested, with MIC ranging from 250-31.25 μg/mL. Fractions KA-A, KM and KM-A exhibited significant antioxidant potential with EC5046.875 μg/mL, while fractions KEA-PE, KM-PE and KM-M were good with EC5093.750 μg/mL. Forty-five phytochemicals were identified in GC-MS studies including eight hydrocarbons, six free fatty acids, 11 fatty acids esters, two phenylpropanoids, four aromatics, four terpenoid quinones/hydroquinones, three triterpenes, four phytosterols, two hexose metabolites and a DNA base. Of these, 32 constituents have been reported for the first time from C. rothii, 24 from genus Cordia and 15 from Boraginaceae.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Strong antibacterial and antioxidant potential of C. rothii roots may be due to the contribution of phytoconstituents identified through GC-MS studies.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry , University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Kehkashan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry , University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Sadiqa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Firdous
authors.affiliation: b Department of Microbiology , University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Aqeel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: b Department of Microbiology , University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Nida
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Fayyaz
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry , University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nadir
authors.affiliation: a Department of Chemistry , University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.|c Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology , University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Munawwer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rasheed
authors.affiliation: d International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences , H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi , Karachi , Pakistan.
authors.forename: Shaheen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Faizi
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D031213:Cordia / Q000737:chemistry*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry / Q000379:methods*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Boraginaceae; free radical scavenging; minimum inhibitory concentrations; phytochemicals