title: Bioactivity and chemical characterization ofAcalypha fruticosaForssk. growing in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: Acalyphais an important genus of the Euphorbiaceae family. The genus is represented by five species in Saudi Arabia.Acalypha fruticosaForssk. Fl. Aeg is traditionally used as a cure for stomachache, dyspepsia, rheumatism, dermatitis, and swellings of the body. The present study endeavors to provide a phytochemical and biological evaluation of the plant, with the aim of relating activity to constituting secondary metabolites in the plant. Column chromatographic separation of the methanol extract led to the isolation of four compounds namely 2-methyl-5,7-dihydroxychromone 5-O-β-d-glucopyranoside1,acalyphin2,apigenin3and kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside4. The plant extracts and the isolated compounds were subjected to biological assays to screen peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and PPARγ agonistic, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activities. Results proved for the first time, the PPARγ activator effect of acalyphin, as well as its promising anti-inflammatory activity, in addition to the dual PPAR activator effect of the chromone glucoside. The plant extracts and isolated compounds were non-cytotoxic to the tested cell lines. ThusA. fruticosacould be a valuable source of important therapeutics that may hold clinical prospect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, PO Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt.
authors.forename: Ghada Ahmed
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Fawzy
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, PO Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Areej Mohammad
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Al-Taweel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, PO Box 2457, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Shagufta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Perveen
authors.affiliation: National Center for Natural Products Research, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, 38677, USA.
authors.forename: Shabana Iqrar
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Khan
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Fatma Abdulaziz
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Al-Omary
keywords: Acalypha fruticosa; Anti-inflammatory; PPARα; PPARγ agonistic activity