The traditional medicine still plays an important role in the primary health care in Yemen. The current study represents the investigation of 16 selected plants, which were collected from different localities of Yemen. The plants were dried and extracted with two different solvents (methanol and hot water) to yield 34 crude extracts. The obtained extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activity against three Gram‐positive bacteria, two Gram‐negative bacteria, one yeast species and three multiresistant Staphylococcus strains using agar diffusion method, for their antioxidant activity using scavenging activity of DPPH radical method and for their cytotoxic activity using the neutral red uptake assay. In addition, a phytochemical screening of the methanolic extracts was done. Antibacterial activity was shown only against Gram‐positive bacteria, among them multiresistant bacteria. The highest antimicrobial activity was exhibited by the methanolic extracts of Acalypha fruticosa, Centaurea pseudosinaica, Dodonaea viscosa, Jatropha variegata, Lippia citriodora, Plectranthus hadiensis, Tragia pungens and Verbascum bottae. Six methanolic extracts especially those of A. fruticosa, Actiniopteris semiflabellata, D. viscosa, P. hadiensis, T. pungens and V. bottae showed high free radical scavenging activity. Moreover, remarkable cytotoxic activity against FL‐cells was found for the methanolic extracts of A. fruticosa, Iris albicans, L. citriodora and T. pungens. The phytochemical screening demonstrated the presence of different types of compounds like flavonoids, terpenoids and others, which could be responsible for the obtained activities.

Recent years have witnessed that there is a revival of interest in drug discovery from medicinal plants for the maintenance of health in all parts of the world. The aim of this work was to investigate 26 plants belonging to 17 families collected from a unique place in Yemen (Soqotra Island) for their in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities. The 26 plants were extracted with methanol and hot water to yield 52 extracts. Evaluation for in vitro anticancer activity was done against three human cancer cell lines (A-427, 5637 and MCF-7) by using an established microtiter plate assay based on cellular staining with crystal violet. Antimicrobial activity was tested against three Gram-positive bacteria, two Gram-negative bacteria, one yeast species and three multiresistant Staphylococcus strains by using an agar diffusion method and the determination of MIC against three Gram-positive bacteria with the broth micro-dilution assay. Antioxidant activity was investigated by measuring the scavenging activity of the DPPH radical. Moreover, a phytochemical screening of the methanolic extracts was done. Notable cancer cell growth inhibition was observed for extracts from Ballochia atro-virgata, Eureiandra balfourii and Hypoestes pubescens, with IC₅₀ values ranging between 0.8 and 8.2 μg/ml. The methanol extracts of Acanthospermum hispidum, Boswellia dioscorides, Boswellia socotrana, Commiphora ornifolia and Euphorbia socotrana also showed noticeable antiproliferative potency with IC₅₀ values < 50 μg/ml. The greatest antimicrobial activity was exhibited by extracts from Acacia pennivenia, Boswellia dioscorides, Boswellia socotrana, Commiphora ornifolia, Euclea divinorum, Euphorbia socotrana, Leucas samhaensis, Leucas virgata, Rhus thyrsiflora, and Teucrium sokotranum with inhibition zones > 15 mm and MIC values ≤ 250 μg/ml. In addition, the methanolic extracts of Acacia pennivenia, Boswellia dioscorides, Boswellia socotrana and Commiphora ornifolia showed good antioxidant potential at low concentrations (more than 80% at 50 μg/ml). Our results show once again that medicinal plants can be promising sources of natural products with potential anticancer, antimicrobial and antioxidative activity. The results will guide the selection of some plant species for further pharmacological and phytochemical investigations.

Food born pathogenic bacteria and filamentous fungi are able to grow on most foods, including natural foods, processed foods, and fermented foods and create considerable economic loss. The aim of this study was to determine the antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant and functional properties of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens recovered from silage. Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of the compounds was assessed by using broth micro dilution method. The 1,1-diphenyl–2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)-radical scavenging and hydroxyl radical-scavenging abilities were measured to evaluate antioxidant activity of the strain. Primary antimicrobial compound production screening revealed that B. amyloliquefaciens exhibited significant activity against all the tested bacteria and fungi compared to other strains. The 16S rRNA and gyrase A gene sequence analysis determined using molecular biological tools confirmed that the strain was 99% similarity towards B. amyloliquefaciens. The Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of ethyl acetate extract against Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus cloacae and Staphylococcus aureus were 25.0 μg ml−1, and S, epidermidis were 12.5 μg ml−1, respectively. Filamentous fungi Aspergillus clavatus, A. fumigates, A. niger and Gibberella moniliformis showed 25 μg ml−1. VJ-1 was able to survive the gastrointestinal conditions simulating the stomach and duodenum passage with the highest percentage of hydrophobicity. In addition, its resistance to hydrogen peroxide and highest hydroxyl radical and 2, 2-diphenyl–1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activities, with inhibition rates of 56.84% and 67.12% respectively, were its advantage. An antimicrobial susceptibility pattern was an intrinsic feature of this strain, and thus, consumption does not represent a health risk to humans. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens might be a promising candidate for new pharmaceutical agents and probiotics.

The role of natural products as a source for remedies has been recognized since the beginning of mankind. Nevertheless, a minority of folkloricly used medicinal plants have been evaluated for their pharmacological activities. The purpose of this study is to evaluate 33 selected Yemeni plants for their in vitro anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant activities. The plants were extracted with methanol and hot water. The obtained 66 extracts were tested for their in vitro cytotoxic activity using the neutral red uptake assay against two cancer cell lines (5637 and MCF-7). The antimicrobial activity was determined using the agar diffusion method and MIC-determination. The DPPH radical method was used for the determination of antioxidant activity. Interesting cytotoxic activity was observed for Hypoestes forskalei (Vahl) R. Br. (Acanthaceae), Lycium shawii Roem. & Schult. (Solanaceae), Pergularia tomentosa L. (Asclepiadaceae), Psiadia punctulata (DC.) Vatke (Compositae), Pulicaria petiolaris Jaub. & Spach (Compositae) and Rosmarinus officinalis L. (Labiatae) (IC(50) values < 50 μg/mL). Antimicrobial activity with MIC values ≤ 125 μg/mL was exhibited against Gram-positive bacteria by Chrozophora oblongifolia (Del.) A.Juss. ex Spreng. (Euphorbiaceae), Myrtus communis L. (Myrtaceae), Phragmanthera regularis (Steud. ex Sprague) M.G. Gilbert (Loranthaceae) and R. officinalis. Antioxidant activity was observed for C. oblongifolia, M. communis, and P. regularis. The results justified the use of some investigated plants in the Yemeni ethnomedicine. These findings demonstrated that some of the investigated plants could be a source of new cytotoxic and antibiotic compounds; however, further work is needed.

Five xanthone derivatives and one flavanol were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of Garcinia mangostana. Dichloromethane, ethyl acetate extract and the major xanthone (α-mangostin) were evaluated in vitro against erythrocytic schizonts of Plasmodium falciparum, intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania infantum and Trypanosoma cruzi and free trypomastigotes of T. brucei. The major constituent α-mangostin was also checked for antimicrobial potential against Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillius subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis, M. cheleneoi, M. xenopi and M. intracellulare. Activity against P. falciparum (IC₅₀ 2.7 μg/mL) and T. brucei (IC₅₀ 0.5 μg/mL) were observed for the dichloromethane extract, however, with only moderate selectivity was seen based on a parallel cytotoxicity evaluation on MRC-5 cells (IC₅₀ 9.4 μg/mL). The ethyl acetate extract was inactive (IC₅₀ > 30 µg/mL). The major constituent α-mangostin showed rather high cytotoxicity (IC₅₀ 7.5 µM) and a broad but non-selective antiprotozoal and antimicrobial activity profile. This in vitro study endorses that the antiprotozoal and antimicrobial potential of prenylated xanthones is non-conclusive in view of the low level of selectivity.