Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Activity of the <i>Usnea barbata</i> (L.) F. H. Wigg Dry Extract
Violeta Popovici,
Laura Adriana Bucur,
Verginica Schröder,
Daniela Gherghel,
Cosmin Teodor Mihai,
Aureliana Caraiane,
Florin Ciprian Badea,
Gabriela Vochița,
Victoria Badea
Affiliations
Violeta Popovici
Departament of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 7 Ilarie Voronca Street, 900684 Constanta, Romania
Laura Adriana Bucur
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ovidius University of Constanta, 6 Capitan Al. Serbanescu Street, 900001 Constanta, Romania
Verginica Schröder
Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ovidius University of Constanta, 6 Capitan Al. Serbanescu Street, 900001 Constanta, Romania
Daniela Gherghel
Institute of Biological Research Iasi, branch of NIRDBS, 47 Lascar Catargi Street, 700107 Iasi, Romania
Cosmin Teodor Mihai
Institute of Biological Research Iasi, branch of NIRDBS, 47 Lascar Catargi Street, 700107 Iasi, Romania
Aureliana Caraiane
Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 7 Ilarie Voronca Str., 900684 Constanta, Romania
Florin Ciprian Badea
Department of Oral Rehabilitation, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 7 Ilarie Voronca Str., 900684 Constanta, Romania
Gabriela Vochița
Institute of Biological Research Iasi, branch of NIRDBS, 47 Lascar Catargi Street, 700107 Iasi, Romania
Victoria Badea
Departament of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Dental Medicine, Ovidius University of Constanta, 7 Ilarie Voronca Street, 900684 Constanta, Romania
The secondary metabolites of lichens have proven to be promising sources of anticancer drugs; one of the most important of these is usnic acid, which is a phenolic compound with dibenzofuran structure that is responsible for the numerous biological actions of lichens of genus Usnea. As a result, in this study, we related to this phenolic secondary metabolite. The aim of the present study is the evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of Usnea barbata (L.) F. H. Wigg dry acetone extract (UBE). In advance, the usnic acid content was determined in various extracts of Usnea barbata (L.) F. H. Wigg: the liquid extracts were found in water, ethanol, acetone, and the dry acetone extract; the highest usnic acid quantity was found in the dry acetone extract. First, the cytotoxic action of UBE was assessed using Brine Shrimp Lethality (BSL) test; a significant lethal effect was obtained after 24 h of treatment at high used concentrations of UBE, and it was quantified by the high mortality rate of the Artemia salina (L.) larvae. Secondly, in vitro cytotoxicity of UBE was evaluated on human tongue squamous cells carcinoma, using CAL 27 (ATCC® CRL-2095™) cell line. The most intense cytotoxic effect of UBE on CAL 27 cells was registered after 24 h; this response is directly proportional with the tested UBE concentrations. The obtained results have been reported regarding usnic acid content of UBE, and the data show that CAL 27 cells death was induced by apoptosis and high oxidative stress.
