The present study was designed to identify the chemical constituents of the methanolic extract of Curcuma longa L. rhizomes and their inhibitory effect on a hepatoma cell line. The methanolic extract was subjected to GC-MS analysis to identify the volatile constituents and the other part of the same extract was subjected to liquid column chromatographic separation to isolate curcumin. The inhibition of cell growth in the hepatoma cell line and the cytopathological changes were studied. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of fifty compounds in the methanolic extract of C. longa. The major compounds were ar-turmerone (20.50 %), β-sesquiphellandrene (5.20 %) and curcumenol (5.11 %). Curcumin was identified using IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The inhibition of cell growth by curcumin (IC₅₀ = 41.69 ± 2.87 μg mL^-1) was much more effective than that of methanolic extract (IC₅₀ = 196.12 ± 5.25 μg mL^-1). Degenerative and apoptotic changes were more evident in curcumin- treated hepatoma cells than in those treated with the methanol extract. Antitumor potential of the methanolic extract may be attributed to the presence of sesquiterpenes and phenolic constituents including curcumin (0.051 %, 511.39 μg g^-1 dried methanol extract) in C. longa rhizomes.

In the present study, antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of the leaves of seven Egyptian Cassia species was investigated using two methods, the phosphomolyb-date method and 1,1 diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) scavenging activity method.· The results revealed that C. glauca is the most potent species and that the activity of other plant species decreases in the following order: C. grandis > C. nodosa > C. fistula > C. didymobtrya > C. occidentalis > C. sophera. Defatted methanolic extract of the most active plant C. glauca was subjected to fractionation using different organic solvents such as CHCl3, EtOAc and BuOH. Antixidant activities of the fractions were investigated and the results showed that ethyl acetate fraction possessed high activity. Total phenolic and flavonoid concentrations of each plant extract were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and aluminum chloride. Correlation between radical scavenging capacities of extracts and total phenolic concentration was observed.

Introduction: Cisplatin is a highly effective chemotherapeutic agent; its clinical use is severely limited by serious side effects as nephrotoxicity. The aim of this study is to evaluate the nephroprotective activity of defatted methanolic extract of two Egyptian plants: Lantana camara and Cucurbita pepo and certain fractions derived from the defatted methanolic extract of L. camara on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity in rats. Also, identification of certain chemical constituents of L. camara by HPLC-ESI-MS. Methods: Nephrotoxicity was induced in rats by single dose of cisplatin. The effect of plants extract at doses 100-400 mg/kg.b.wt comparing with standard; ascorbic acid; was determined using serum urea, creatinine and some ions. Furthermore, the effect of these extracts on some renal antioxidant enzymes and histopathological examination of kidneys were examined. Results: The defatted methanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction of L. camara showed the highest improvement of renal parameters. Also, HPLC-ESI-MS analysis of L. camara extracts exhibited bioactive phenolic compounds including phenyl ethanoid, flavonoids and phenolic acids. Conclusion: The phytochemical constituents of L. camara are responsible for their nephroprotective activity.

Human have been constantly using plants to overcome many diseases. Allium kurrat is an edible cultivated vegetable in Egypt. The aim of this survey is to determine total phenolic and flavonoid contents of the methanol extract and certainly obtained fractions from it. Antioxidant activity of these extracts was evaluated by DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl radical), ABTS (2,2-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothialozine-sulphonic acid) and total antioxidant capacity assays. Also, cytotoxic activity of these extracts was determined against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and human colon carcinoma (Caco-2) using Neutral red assay. LC-ESI-MS analysis was carried out for the most active extracts. The results revealed that ethyl acetate fraction has the highest phenolic and flavonoid contents (127.45 ± 0.71 (mg GAE eq./g extract) and 98.55 ± 1.87 (mg RE eq./g extract)) as well as showed the highest antioxidant activity. On the other hand, the butanolic fraction had the highest antitumor activity on HepG2 and Caco-2 cell lines (36.2 μg/ mL and 44.6 μg/mL) respectively. These results proved that the antitumor activity of this plant is correlated with many active ingredients in it. The LC-ESI-MS analysis identified a mixture of phenolic compounds (flavonoid glycosides and phenolic acids). Thus, Allium kurrat contains active ingredients which inhibit the risk of many chronic diseases.