Cytotoxic, hepatoprotective and antioxidant activities of Silybum marianum variety albiflorum growing in Egypt

Preliminary Data on Silybum marianum Metabolites: Comprehensive Characterization, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, Antimicrobial Activities, LC-MS/MS Profiling, and Predicted ADMET Analysis

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES

Silybum marianum extract, obtained via microwave-enhanced extraction, was evaluated for its antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities to explore its therapeutic potential.

METHODS

The extraction was performed using microwave-enhanced techniques, and LC-MS/MS was employed to profile the metabolites in the extract. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were quantified using spectrophotometric methods. Antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, CUPRAC, Phenanthroline, and FRAP assays. Enzyme inhibition assays were conducted to evaluate antidiabetic activity against α-glucosidase and α-amylase. Antimicrobial activity was determined using the disc diffusion method, and in silico ADMET and drug-likeness analyses were performed for key metabolites.

RESULTS

The extract contained 251.2 ± 1.2 mg GAE/g of total phenolics and 125.1 ± 1.6 mg QE/g of total flavonoids, with 33 metabolites identified, including phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids, and flavolignans. Strong antioxidant activity was observed, with IC50 values of 19.2 ± 2.3 μg/mL (DPPH), 7.2 ± 1.7 μg/mL (ABTS), 22.2 ± 1.2 μg/mL (CUPRAC), 35.2 ± 1.8 μg/mL (Phenanthroline), and 24.1 ± 1.2 μg/mL (FRAP). Antidiabetic effects were significant, with IC50 values of 18.1 ± 1.7 μg/mL (α-glucosidase) and 26.5 ± 1.3 μg/mL (α-amylase). Antimicrobial activity demonstrated inhibition zones of 8.9 ± 1.1 mm (Bacillus subtilis), 12.6 ± 1.6 mm (Escherichia coli), 8.2 ± 1.2 mm (Fusarium oxysporum), and 9.2 ± 1.1 mm (Aspergillus niger). In silico analyses showed high absorption, favorable metabolism and excretion, and minimal toxicity, with no hERG channel inhibition or hepatotoxicity.

CONCLUSIONS

The comprehensive results highlight the significant antioxidant, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities of S. marianum extract, suggesting its potential for therapeutic and preventive applications.

Adsorption of Basic Yellow 28 and Basic Blue 3 Dyes from Aqueous Solution Using Silybum Marianum Stem as a Low-Cost Adsorbent

In the present study, the ability of an adsorbent (SLM Stem) obtained from the stem of the Silybum Marianum plant to treat wastewater containing the cationic dyes basic blue 3 (BB3) and basic yellow 28 (BY28) from aqueous solutions was investigated using a batch method. Then, the SLM Stem (SLM Stem-Natural) adsorbent was carbonized at different temperatures (200-900 °C) and the removal capacity of the products obtained for both dyes was examined again. The investigation continued with the product carbonized at 800 °C (SLM Stem-800 °C), the adsorbent with the highest removal capacity. The dyestuff removal studies were continued with the SLM Stem-Natural and SLM Stem-800 °C adsorbents because they had the highest removal values. The surface properties of these two adsorbents were investigated using IR, SEM, and XRD measurements. It was determined that the SLM Stem-Natural has mainly non-porous material, and the SLM Stem-800 °C has a microporous structure. The optimal values for various parameters, including adsorbent amount, initial dye solution concentration, contact time, temperature, pH, and agitation speed, were investigated for BY28 dye and were 0.05 g, 15 mg/L, 30 min, 40 °C, pH 6 and 100 rpm when SLM Stem-Natural adsorbent was used and, 0.15 g, 30 mg/L, 30 min, 40 °C, pH 10, and 150 rpm when SLM Stem-800 °C adsorbent was used. For BB3 dye, optimal parameter values of 0.20 g, 10 mg/L, 30 min, 25 °C, pH 7, and 100 rpm were obtained when SLM Stem-Natural adsorbent was used and 0.15 g, 15 mg/L, 40 min, 40 °C, pH 10, and 100 rpm when SLM Stem-800 °C adsorbent was used. The Langmuir isotherm described the adsorption process best, with a value of r2 = 0.9987. When SLM Stem-800 °C adsorbent was used for BY28 dye at 25 °C, the highest qm value in the Langmuir isotherm was 271.73 mg/g. When the study was repeated with actual water samples under optimum conditions, the highest removal for the BY28 dye was 99.9% in tap water with the SLM Stem-800 °C adsorbent. Furthermore, the reuse study showed the adsorbent's efficiency even after three repetitions.

Valuable Hepatoprotective Plants - How Can We Optimize Waste Free Uses of Such Highly Versatile Resources?

Humans used plants for thousand of years as food, drugs, or fuel to keep homes warm. People commonly used fruits and roots, and other parts of the plant were often wasted. This review aims to discuss the potential of rational stem-to-stern use of three highly versatile and valuable plants with hepatoprotective properties. Milk thistle (Silybum marianum L. Gaertn.), artichoke (Cynara cardunculus), and chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) have well-characterized hepatoprotective properties. These plants have been chosen since liver diseases are significant diseases of concern worldwide, and all parts of plants can be potentially utilized. Artichoke and chicory are commonly used as food or dietary supplements and less often as phytodrugs. Various dietary supplements and phytodrugs prepared from milk thistle (MT) fruits/seeds are well-known to consumers as remedies supporting liver functions. However, using these plants as functional food, farm animal feed, is not well-described in the literature. We also discuss bioactive constituents present in various parts of these plants, their pharmacological properties. Distinct parts of MT, artichoke, and chicory can be used to prepare remedies and food for humans and animals. Unused plant parts are potentially wasted. To achieve waste-free use of these and many other plants, the scientific community needs to analyze the complex use of plants and propose strategies for waste-free technologies. The government must stimulate companies to utilize by-products. Another problem associated with plant use as a food or source of phytodrug is the overharvesting of wild plants. Consequently, there is a need to use more active cultivation techniques for plants.

Combination of metformin and luteolin synergistically protects carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatotoxicity: Mechanism involves antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiapoptotic, and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway

Liver diseases are one of the fatal disorders due to the vital role of the liver. Carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄ ) is the most perceived chemical substance utilized in developing models of hepatic damage. Metformin (Met) is a potent antidiabetic and redox modulatory agent that has shown anticancer and protective effects on various organs. Therefore, addition of therapy with natural antioxidative agents or herbal extracts shows defensive impacts against different injuries inside the body. Luteolin (Lut) can be found in several customary Chinese remedies. It has been reported for various pharmacological actions such as antitumor, antioxidative, and anti-inflammatory impacts. Here, the liver injury rat model was established using CCl₄ (1.00 mL/kg body weight) in vivo. The protective roles of Met and Lut separately or in combination were observed in hepatotoxicity induced by CCl₄ . The result was shown that both Met and Lut, while individually used, were normally active in diminishing CCl₄ -caused hepatotoxicity. The combination of two drugs performed synergistically to improve liver damage caused by CCl₄ , as shown by the considerably improved liver dysfunction. Met and Lut showed highly antioxidative effects on CCl₄ -treated rats moderately by increasing the activities and expression of the antioxidant enzymes. Along with this, a combination of Met and Lut significantly suppressed inflammatory responses, which is evidenced by the reduced level of inflammatory cytokines together with interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin 6 (IL-6). Additionally, CCl₄ -agitated apoptosis was intensely reduced by Met and Lut through reducing cleaved caspase-3 and Bax (pro-apoptotic factor) while increasing Bcl-2 (antiapoptotic factor) signaling pathways. Cotreatments of Met and Lut upregulated nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression in the CCl₄ -intoxicated rat's liver. The above result recommended that combination of Met and Lut may have a substantial potential and synergizing impact against CCl₄ -induced hepatotoxicity.