Lazarova_2024_Arch.Pharm.(Weinheim)__e2400257

The n-hexane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, ethanol/water (70% ethanol), and water extracts of Astragalus aduncus aerial parts were investigated for their antioxidant potential, enzyme inhibition activity (anti-acetylcholinesterase [AChE], anti-butyrylcholinesterase [BChE], antityrosinase, antiamylase, and antiglucosidase) and antiproliferative effect (against colon adenocarcinoma cell line [HT-29], gastric cancer cell line [HGC-27], prostate carcinoma cell line [DU-145], breast adenocarcinoma cell line [MDA-MB-231], and cervix adenocarcinoma cell line [HeLa]). In addition, the phytochemical profile of the extracts was evaluated using validated spectrophotometric and high-pressure liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/tandem mass spectroscopy methods. Generally, the 70% ethanol extract demonstrated the strongest antioxidant properties, and it was the richest source of total phenolic constituents. Our findings indicated that the ethyl acetate extract was the most potent BChE inhibitor (11.44mg galantamine equivalents [GALAE]/g) followed by the ethanol extract (8.51mg GALAE/g), while the ethanol extract was the most promising AChE inhibitor (3.42mg GALAE/g) followed by the ethanol/water extract (3.17mg GALAE/g). Excellent tyrosinase inhibitory activity (66.25mg kojic acid equivalent/g) was observed in ethanol/water extracts of the aerial part of A. aduncus. hese results showed that the most cytotoxic effects were exhibited by the ethyl acetate extract against HGC-27 cells (IC(50): 36.76microg/mL), the ethanol extract against HT-29 cells (IC(50): 30.79microg/mL), and the water extract against DU-145 cells (IC(50): 37.01microg/mL). A strong correlation was observed between the highest total flavonoid content and the highest content of individual compounds in the ethanol extract, including rutin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, delphinidin-3,5-diglucoside (delphinidin-3,5-O-diglucoside), and kaempferol-3-glucoside (kaempferol-3-O-glucoside). In the present study, the A. aduncus plant was considered a new source of antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors, and anticancer agents and could be used as a future health-benefit natural product.