Plants (Aug 2023)

Preliminary Phytochemical and Biological Evaluation of <i>Rudbeckia hirta</i> Flowers

  • Ana Flavia Burlec,
  • Łukasz Pecio,
  • Cornelia Mircea,
  • Cristina Tuchiluș,
  • Andreia Corciovă,
  • Corina Danciu,
  • Oana Cioancă,
  • Ioana Cezara Caba,
  • Solomiia Pecio,
  • Wiesław Oleszek,
  • Monica Hăncianu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12152871
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 12, no. 15
p. 2871

Abstract

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Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta L.), a flowering plant with various traditional medicinal uses, has recently garnered interest for its therapeutic properties. However, little is known about the potential therapeutic activities of the plant species. The current study focused on conducting a comprehensive investigation into the chemical composition and bioactivity of black-eyed Susan cultivated in Romania. Untargeted metabolite profiling and UHPLC-HR-MS phytochemical analysis of the studied extract revealed the presence of more than 250 compounds pertaining to different classes, including sesquiterpene lactones, polyphenolic acids, flavonoids, amino acids, and fatty acids. The tested extract exhibited inhibitory activity against Gram-positive bacteria and showed promising antifungal activity. It also demonstrated potent antioxidant properties through iron chelation and 15-LOX inhibition capacities, as well as inhibition of cell growth, particularly on the MCF-7 cell line, suggesting potential anticancer effects. Therefore, current research provides valuable information on the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and antitumor potential of Rudbeckia hirta flowers. Implicitly, the discovery of such a wide range of biosubstances, together with the biological activity observed for the studied extract in these preliminary in vitro studies, paves the way for future investigation of the potential application of the plant in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical sectors.

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