Evaluation of antioxidant, anti-hemolytic, cytotoxic effects and anti-bacterial activity of selected mangrove plants (Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Heritiera littoralis) in Bangladesh

Abstract

Abstract Objectives In this present study, antioxidant, anti-hemolytic, cytotoxic and anti-bacterial activities derived from methanol extracts of Bruguiera gymnorrhiza and Heritiera littoralis were investigated in order to determine their medicinal activities. Materials and methods Folin-Ciocalteu reagent method and aluminum chloride methods were used to determine the mangroves’ total phenolics and total flavonoid content, respectively. Antioxidant capacity was assessed via the following methods: 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydroxyl (DPPH), 43 mM H2O2, Fe2+ quenching assay, and anti-hemolytic activity. Brine shrimp (Artemia salina L.) lethality assay was also carried out to determine the cytotoxic potential of the mangroves along with anti-bacterial activity test using five Gram-negative and another two Gram-positive bacterial strains. Results The mangroves yielded 58.917 ± 0.601 and 36.625 ± 0.551 mg Gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g sample and 76.417 ± 0.19 and 113.637 ± 0.17 mg quercetin equivalent (QE)/g sample in B. gymnorrhiza and H. littoralis, respectively. Methanol extracts of both mangroves exhibited high radical scavenging activity against DPPH, H2O2 and Fe2+ radicals. The reductive capacity of the extracts increased with increasing concentrations of samples, and the extracts inhibited H2O2 induced hemolysis in human red blood cells (RBCs). Antioxidant properties were found to be moderately weaker than that of the reference standard, L-ascorbic acid (AA), and Gallic acid (GA). Further, brine shrimp (Artemia salina L.) lethality assay revealed significant cytotoxicity (241.4 and 272.6 μg/mL, respectively). Methanol extracts could also inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacterial strains. Conclusion This study showed that the crude methanol extract of selected mangrove plants possesses free radical scavenging, anti-hemolytic, cytotoxic and anti-bacterial activity. The experimented plant has the potential to be used as a traditional medicine and replace synthetic drugs. Further studies are necessary to isolate active compounds responsible for the overall antioxidant activity of the crude extracts.

Keywords

• Antioxidant
• Free radical scavenging
• Red blood cell hemolysis
• Cytotoxicity
• Anti-bacterial
• Mangrove plants