@article {236, title = {In vitro Screening for Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Properties of Three Lebanese Medicinal Plants Crude Extracts}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {11}, year = {2019}, month = {April 2019}, pages = {127-133}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {127}, abstract = {

Background: Despite its small geographic area, Lebanon is characterized by a natural wealth in medicinal plants. Lebanese flora has about 2600 species, where \>100 are endemic and are used in traditional medicine for their therapeutic effects. Objective: To evaluate the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities of dichloromethane, methanol, and aqueous crude extracts of three Lebanese medicinal plants: Geranium robertianum, Asphodelus microcarpus, and Alcea setosa. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant activity of different crude extracts was determined using the free radical, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. Antimicrobial activity was evaluated in a plate-hole diffusion assay against two Gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) bacterial strains, one Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) bacterial strain, and a fungal strain (Candida albicans). Results: Methanol and aqueous extracts of G. robertianum possessed high scavenging activity (Radical scavenging activity ( RSA) \>85\%) at 0.3 mg/mL followed by the extracts of A. microcarpus which showed a moderate activity. G. robertianum extracts exhibited good inhibition diameters against S. aureus growth. Conclusion: Obtained results give an overall view on the bioactivities of three Lebanese medicinal plants crude extracts.

}, keywords = {Alcea setosa, Antimicrobial activity, Antioxidant activity, Asphodelus microcarpus, Crude extracts, Geranium robertianum}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_171_18}, author = {Josiane Alhage and Hoda Elbitar} } @article {420, title = {In vitro Assessment of Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, Anti-inflammatory, and Antidiabetic Activities of Campanula retrorsa Crude Extracts}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {10}, year = {2018}, month = {October 2018}, pages = {397-403}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {397}, abstract = {

Background: Campanula retrorsa belongs to the Campanulaceae family and the Campanula genus. The species of this latter are traditionally known for their antiallergic, spasmolytic, antiphlogistic, antioxidant, and antiviral properties. Few studies were realized on the bioactivity of Calicotome villosa crude extracts. Objective: The objective was to investigate, for the first time, the antioxidant, antimicrobial, cytotoxic, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory potentials of dichloromethane, methanol, and aqueous crude extracts of C. retrorsa leaves, flowers, and stems. Materials and Methods: The antioxidant activity of different crude extracts was determined using the free radical, 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl. Antimicrobial activity against three Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Enterococcus faecium), two Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Acinetobacter baumanii) bacterial strains and a fungal strain (Candida albicans) was evaluated in a plate-hole diffusion assay. Cytotoxic activity of C. retrorsa dichloromethane and methanol crude extracts on Hela cells was realized using the Trypan blue dye exclusion technique. Antidiabetic activity against α-glucosidase and anti-inflammatory activity against bee venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) were assessed using a colorimetric test. Results: Leaf and flower aqueous extracts possessed very high radical scavenging activity = 90\%. The dichloromethane extracts of leaves and flowers were the most active against A. baumanii and C. albicans. After 48 h of treatment, all extracts except the methanol flower extract showed an inhibition of 90\% of cell growth at 2 mg/mL. Dichloromethane and methanol stem crude extracts showed a modest inhibition of α-glucosidase. While no inhibition of the PLA2 was displayed by any of the tested extracts. Conclusion: Obtained results give an overall view on C. retrorsa crude extracts{\textquoteright} bioactivities.

}, keywords = {Antidiabetic activity, Bioactivity, Campanula retrorsa, Crude extracts, cytotoxicity}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_73_18}, author = {Josiane Alhage and Hoda Elbitar and Samir Taha and Thierry Benvegnu} }