Comparative Pharmacognosy, Chemical Profile and Antioxidant Activity of Extracts from Phania matricarioides (Spreng.) Griseb. Collected from Different Localities in Cuba

Abstract

Phania matricarioides (Spreng.) Griseb. is a traditionally used plant with various pharmacological properties. However, there are only scarce reports about the phytochemistry and biological activity of this plant. In this work, P. matricarioides was collected from three different localities of Cuba: PmB (collected in Bauta, Artemisa), PmC (collected in Cangrejeras, Artemisa), and PmI (collected in La Lisa, Havana), extracted with aqueous ethanol, and analyzed macroscopically and microscopically. The extracts were screened for phytochemical contents, analyzed by TLC and HPLC, and screened for antioxidant activity using the FRAP and DPPH assays. Macroscopic analysis showed similar results for all samples; however, microscopic, physicochemical and phytochemical studies showed appreciable differences. In particular, the total solid of PmC extract was higher (1.94 ± 0.03%) than the other samples. In HPLC profiles, quercetin was identified in the three samples and a greater similarity between samples PmB and PmI was observed. All samples demonstrated radical-scavenging antioxidant activity by the DPPH assay, which PmC also demonstrated the smaller (p < 0.05) value (IC₅₀ = 27.4 ± 0.1 µg/mL), but was statistically superior (p < 0.05) to vitamin C (IC₅₀ = 23.7 ± 0 µg/mL). Also, in the FRAP assay, a higher vitamin C equivalent of PmC was significantly superior (p < 0.05) to the other extracts at the evaluated concentrations, which is likely due to a higher concentration of quercetin. In conclusion, P. matricarioides could constitute a potential resource in the field of phytotherapeutic products, and the results obtained can contribute to the development of the quality control norms for this species.

Keywords: DPPH; FRAP; HPLC profile; Phania matricarioides; phytochemical screening; plant extracts; quercetin.

Figure 1

Phania matricarioides. (A): In the natural habitat; (B): sample in laboratory. (C): Top of the leaf; (D): back of the leaf. Photographs taken by the authors during and after the collection of the plant.

Figure 2

Leaf dimensions of Phania matricarioides collected from different geographical localities in Cuba. PmB: collected in Bauta, Artemisa Province, Cuba; PmC: collected in Cangrejeras, Artemisa Province, Cuba; PmI: collected in gardens of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Foods, La Lisa, Havana Province, Cuba. Results are the means with standard deviations of 100 leaves obtained from 20 plant samples from each area.

Figure 3

Photomicrograph of transverse sections of leaves from Phania matricarioides collected from different geographical localities in Cuba. (PmB): collected in Bauta, Artemisa Province, Cuba; (PmC): collected in Cangrejeras, Artemisa Province, Cuba; (PmI): collected in gardens of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Foods, La Lisa, Havana Province, Cuba; C: chlorenchyma; PT: pluricellular trichomes; VS: vascular system; E: epidermis. Photographs were taken by the authors with an optical microscope at 10× magnification.

Figure 4

Photomicrograph of transverse and longitudinal sections of stems from Phania matricarioides collected from different geographical localities in Cuba. (A–C): transverse sections; (D–F): longitudinal sections. PmB: collected in Bauta, Artemisa Province, Cuba; PmC: collected in Cangrejeras, Artemisa Province, Cuba; PmI: collected in gardens of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Foods, La Lisa, Havana Province, Cuba; FE: sclerenchyma fibres; E: epidermis; X: xylem; F: phloem; M: pith; VS: vascular system. Photographs were taken by the authors with an optical microscope at 10× magnification.

Figure 5

Chemical profile by TLC of extracts from Phania matricarioides collected from different geographical localities in Cuba. Quercetin was used as control. Aluminum-backed silica gel TLC plates. Mobile phase: n-butanol:acetic acid:water (65:25:10, v/v/v). (A): Visible; (B): UV 254 nm; (C): H₂SO₄/heat; (D): aluminum chloride 5%; (E): UV 365 nm; Q: quercetin; PmB: collected in Bauta, Artemisa Province, Cuba; PmC: collected in Cangrejeras, Artemisa Province, Cuba; PmI: collected in gardens of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Foods, La Lisa, Havana Province, Cuba.

Figure 6

Chemical profile obtained by HPLC (Uptisphere 5 0DB 708965 RP-18 column, diode array detection) of extracts from Phania matricarioides collected from different geographical localities in Cuba. Quercetin was used as control. (A): Chromatograms (the arrows indicate the quercetin peak); (B): qualitative map visualization; (C): quantitative map visualization (the color range from red to blue indicates relative abundance from high to low); (D): dendrogram. (E): Chemical structure of quercetin. PmB: collected in Bauta, Artemisa Province, Cuba; PmC: collected in Cangrejeras, Artemisa Province, Cuba; PmI: collected in gardens of the Faculty of Pharmacy and Foods, La Lisa, Havana Province, Cuba; RT: retention time (min).