title: Appraisal of phytochemical and in vitro biological attributes of an unexplored folklore: Rhus Punjabensis Stewart.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The role of plants for discovery of therapeutic potential accentuates the need to know their biological attributes. The present study aims to comprehend the biological attributes of Rhus punjabensis, an unexplored traditional medicinal plant.
  
  
  METHODS
  Leaf and stem extracts of R. punjabensis prepared in 11 different organic solvents are evaluated for multimode antioxidant potential, total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined through colorimetric assays, HPLC-DAD analysis was carried out for quantification of various polyphenols in extracts. Brine shrimp lethality, SRB and MTT assays were used to elucidate plant's cytotoxic and antileishmanial potentials. Disc diffusion assay was used to elucidate the protein kinase inhibitory, antibacterial and antifungal spectrum.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ethanol + ethyl acetate yielded maximum extract recovery from leaf (6.11 ± 1.09% w/w), total phenolic content (80.5 ± 2.18 μg GAE/mg extract) and reducing power potential (165.4 ± 2.29 μg AAE/mg extract). Maximum flavonoid content (30.50 ± 1.11 μg QE/mg extract) and highest DPPH based free radical scavenging activity (IC5011.4 ± 2.07) was exhibited by the methanol + chloroform leaf extract. The methanol extract showed maximum total antioxidant capacity (74.5 ± 2.25 μg AAE/mg DW), protein kinase inhibitory (12.5 ± 1.10 bald phenotype at 100 μg/disc) and antifungal (MIC = 25 μg/disc against Aspergillus flavus) potential. Reverse phase HPLC-DAD based quantification reveals presence of gallic acid, apigenin, rutin and catechin in various extracts. Brine shrimp lethality assay demonstrated most extracts as highly cytotoxic (LC50< 50 μg/mL) whereas chloroform extract of leaf demonstrated maximuminhibition against human leukemia cell line (IC507.80 ± 0.01 μg/mL). A significant activity against leishmanial promastigotes was demonstrated by n-hexane leaf extract (IC50= 15.78 ± 0.15 μg/mL). A better antibacterial activity,by the extracts, against Gram positive strains as compared to Gram negative was observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results recommend multiple-solvent system as a critical factor to sumptuous the biological prospective of R. punjabensis and propose it to be a useful natural hub for the discovery of novel antioxidant, anticancer, antileishmanial and antimicrobial agents.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Saira
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tabassum
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Madiha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Bushra
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mirza
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naeem
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan. ziachaudhary@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zia
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Zabta Khan
authors.initials: ZK
authors.lastname: Shanwari
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan. gmkhan@qau.edu.pk.
authors.forename: Gul Majid
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects; D001419:Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000633:toxicity; D029045:Rhus
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Anticancer; Antileishmanial; Antioxidant; Brine shrimps cytotoxicity; HPLC-DAD