Molecules (Apr 2020)

The Anti-Inflammatory and Antimicrobial Potential of Selected Ethnomedicinal Plants from Sri Lanka

  • Mayuri Napagoda,
  • Jana Gerstmeier,
  • Hannah Butschek,
  • Sudhara De Soyza,
  • Simona Pace,
  • Sybille Lorenz,
  • Mallique Qader,
  • Sanjeeva Witharana,
  • Ajith Nagahawatte,
  • Gaya Wijayaratne,
  • Aleš Svatoš,
  • Lalith Jayasinghe,
  • Andreas Koeberle,
  • Oliver Werz

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25081894
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 25, no. 8
p. 1894

Abstract

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Traditional folk medicine in Sri Lanka is mostly based on plants and plant-derived products, however, many of these medicinal plant species are scientifically unexplored. Here, we evaluated the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial potency of 28 different extracts prepared from seven popular medicinal plant species employed in Sri Lanka. The extracts were subjected to cell-based and cell-free assays of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase (mPGES)-1, and nitric oxide (NO) scavenging activity. Moreover, antibacterial and disinfectant activities were assessed. Characterization of secondary metabolites was achieved by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometric (GC-MS) analysis. n-Hexane- and dichloromethane-based extracts of Garcinia cambogia efficiently suppressed 5-LO activity in human neutrophils (IC50 = 0.92 and 1.39 µg/mL), and potently inhibited isolated human 5-LO (IC50 = 0.15 and 0.16 µg/mL) and mPGES-1 (IC50 = 0.29 and 0.49 µg/mL). Lipophilic extracts of Pothos scandens displayed potent inhibition of mPGES-1 only. A methanolic extract of Ophiorrhiza mungos caused significant NO scavenging activity. The lipophilic extracts of G. cambogia exhibited prominent antibacterial and disinfectant activities, and GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of fatty acids, sesquiterpenes and other types of secondary metabolites. Together, our results suggest the prospective utilization of G. cambogia as disinfective agent with potent anti-inflammatory properties.

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