<i>Iphiona mucronata</i> (Forssk.) Asch. & Schweinf. A Comprehensive Phytochemical Study via UPLC-Q-TOF-MS in the Context of the Embryo- and Cytotoxicity Profiles
Łukasz Pecio,
Asmaa M. Otify,
Fatema R. Saber,
Yasser A. El-Amier,
Moataz Essam Shalaby,
Solomiia Kozachok,
Amira K. Elmotayam,
Łukasz Świątek,
Adrianna Skiba,
Krystyna Skalicka-Woźniak
Affiliations
Łukasz Pecio
Department of Natural Products Chemistry, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Department of Biochemistry and Crop Quality, Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation—State Research Institute, Czartoryskich 8, 24-100 Puławy, Poland
Iphiona mucronata (Family Asteraceae) is widely distributed in the Eastern desert of Egypt. It is a promising plant material for phytochemical analysis and pharmacologic studies, and so far, its specific metabolites and biological activity have not yet been thoroughly investigated. Herein, we report on the detailed phytochemical study using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS approach. This analysis allowed the putative annotation of 48 metabolites belonging to various phytochemical classes, including mostly sesquiterpenes, flavonoids, and phenolic acids. Further, zebrafish embryotoxicity has been carried out, where 100 µg/mL extract incubated for 72 h resulted in a slow touch response of the 10 examined larvae, which might be taken as a sign of a disturbed peripheral nervous system. Results of in vitro testing indicate moderate cytotoxicity towards VERO, FaDu, and HeLa cells with CC50 values between 91.6 and 101.7 µg/mL. However, selective antineoplastic activity in RKO cells with CC50 of 54.5 µg/mL was observed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive profile of I. mucronata secondary metabolites that provides chemical-based evidence for its biological effects. A further investigation should be carried out to precisely define the underlying mechanisms of toxicity.
