Chemical Investigation and Antinociceptive Activity Evaluation of Marrubium Vulgare L. Aqueous Extract

Marrubium vulgare L. (Lamiaceae) has a long history of use in traditional herbal medicine for the treatment of respiratory tract infections, inflammatory conditions, and pain. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition, acute toxicity, and antinociceptive effects of the aqueous extract from M. vulgare leaves (AEMV). Antioxidant activity was evaluated using DPPH and reducing power assays. The chemical composition of AEMV was determined through LC-MS/MS, and the levels of total phenolics, flavonoids, and condensed tannins were quantified. Acute oral toxicity was assessed in male Swiss mice with a single oral dose of AEMV (1, 2, 5 g/kg). The analgesic impact was examined through writhing, hot plate, and formalin tests. Our findings not only confirmed the safety of the extract in animal models but also revealed significant antioxidant activity in AEMV. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis identified important bioactive compounds, with marrubiin being a major component. Furthermore, AEMV demonstrated robust antinociceptive properties in all conducted tests, highlighting its potential as a valuable natural source of bioactive compounds suitable for a wide range of therapeutic applications.

Metabolome Profiling of Marrubium peregrinum L. and Marrubium friwaldskyanum Boiss Reveals Their Potential as Sources of Plant-Based Pharmaceuticals

Marrubium species have been used since ancient times as food additives and curative treatments. Their phytochemical composition and various pharmacological activities were the focus of a number of scientific investigations but no comprehensive metabolome profiling to identify the numerous primary and secondary metabolites has been performed so far. This study aimed to generate a comprehensive picture of the total metabolite content of two Marrubium species-M. peregrinum and M. friwaldskyanum-to provide detailed information about the main primary and secondary metabolites. In addition, the elemental composition was also evaluated. For this purpose, non-targeted metabolomic analyses were conducted using GC-MS, UPLC-MS/MS and ICP-MS approaches. Nearly 500 compounds and 12 elements were detected and described. The results showed a strong presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids and their glucosides, which are generally of great interest due to their various pharmacological activities. Furthermore, tissue-specific analyses for M. friwaldskyanum stem, leaves and flowers were carried out in order to outline the sources of potentially important bioactive molecules. The results generated from this study depict the Marrubium metabolome and reveal its dual scientific importance-from one side, providing information about the metabolites that is fundamental and vital for the survival of these species, and from the other side, defining the large diversity of secondary substances that are a potential source of phytotherapeutic agents.

Marrubium vulgare L.: A Phytochemical and Pharmacological Overview

Marrubium vulgare is a plant with high bioactive potential. It contains marrubiin, a labdane diterpene that is characteristic for this genus, as well as a complex mixture of phenolic compounds. According to numerous studies, M. vulgare acts as a good antioxidant agent, and due to this, it could potentially be useful in treatments of cancer, diabetes mellitus, and liver diseases. In addition, its anti-inflammatory, wound-healing, antihypertensive, hypolipidemic, and sedative potential are discussed. Apart from that, its antimicrobial activity, especially against Gram+ bacteria, fungi, herpes simplex virus, and parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii, Trichomonas vaginalis, and Plasmodium berghei-berghei was recorded. Additionally, it could be used as a chicken lice repellent, herbicide, and natural insecticide against mosquito larvae and natural molluscicide. In veterinary medicine, M. vulgare can be used as an anthelmintic against the eggs and larvae of bovine strongyles parasites, and as an antibiotic against bovine mastitis caused by resistant bacterial strains. Due to the mentioned benefits, there is a tendency for the cultivation of M. vulgare in order to ensure high-quality raw material, but more firm scientific evidence and well-designed clinical trials are necessary for the well-established use of M. vulgare herb and its preparations.

Total Syntheses of Marrubiin and Related Labdane Diterpene Lactones

Total syntheses of the labdane diterpene lactones marrubiin, marrulibacetal, desertine, marrulibacetal A, marrubasch F, cyllenine C, marrulanic acid, and marrulactone are described. The trans-decalin moiety of these molecules was constructed in a stereoselective manner by a Pauson-Khand reaction, and the resultant cyclopentenone was oxidatively cleaved for formation of the lactone ring. Elongation of the side chain at C9 was achieved by an epoxide-opening reaction with a variety of nucleophiles, and the functional group manipulations completed the syntheses of these natural products. Stereochemistries of desertine could be established by the transformations.

Chemical Constituents of Marrubium vulgare as Potential Inhibitors of Nitric Oxide and Respiratory Burst

Phytochemical investigation of the whole plant of Marrubium vulgare L., led to the isolation of three new secondary metabolites, 11-oxomarrubiin (1), vulgarcoside A (2) and 3-hydroxyapigenin-4′- O-(6″- O- p-coumaroyl)-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), along with four known constituents 4–7 from the polar fractions of the methanolic extract. The structures of all compounds were deduced on the basis of NMR data and HRESI-MS measurements. The new constituents 1–3 exhibited moderate to low level of inhibition on nitric oxide (NO) production. The compound 2 also showed a moderate inhibition on pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α. The new constituents 1–3 showed no inhibitory effect on Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) production.

Identification of essential oil components of Marrubium thessalum Boiss. & Heldr., growing wild in Greece

The essential oil of the Greek endemic species Marrubium thessalum Boiss. & Heldr. (Lamiaceae) was obtained by the hydrodistillation of its aerial parts during the flowering stage. The composition of the oil was analysed by GC and GC-MS. Thirty compounds were identified. The oil was devoid of monoterpenes, while sesquiterpenes constituted the major fraction. The main components of the oil were caryophyllene oxide (21.7%), β-caryophyllene (17.6%), germacrene D (15.3%), β-bisabolene (12.6%) and trans-β-farnesene (8.1%).

Composition, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of the Essential Oil of Marrubium deserti

The essential oil from aerial part of Marrubium deserti De Noé (Lamiaceae), obtained by hydrodistillation was analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and evaluated for in vitro antimicrobial activity. The antioxidant activity was determined using three in vitro assays: scavenging effect on DPPH, the ABTS test and the phosphomolybdenum method. Thirty-seven compounds were identified in the oil, with germacrene D as the major component (45.7%). This oil was characterized by an important hydrocarbon fraction (78.1%) and by the predominance of sesquiterpenes (67.4%). M. deserti essential oil had no activity on the tested microorganisms ( Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Echerichia coli ATCC 25922, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853, Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus). However the oil presented an antioxidant activity.