Abstract
Daucus carotaL. (Family: Apiaceae alt.Umbelliferae), commonly known as ‘wild carrot’ or ‘Queen Anne’s-lace,’ is an ecologically invasive erect biennial naturalized to Scotland. The ethno-botanical uses of this species include applications in the treatment of cough, diarrhea, dysentery, cancer, malaria and tumors, and as an antiseptic, abortifacient, aphrodisiac, carminative, stimulant, stomachic and tonic. The major constituents isolated from the methanol extract of D. carotaseeds by reversed-phase preparative high performance chroma-tography were luteolin, luteolin 3′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside and luteolin 4′-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, three flavones. The constituents were assessed for their antibacterial and free radical scavenging activities, as well as toxicity towards brine shrimp. Among these three flavones, lu-teolin showed the highest degree of free radical scavenging activity (RC50 = 4.3 ×10−4 mg/mL) in the 2,2-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. Both luteolin and its 4′-0-glucoside demonstrated bactericidal activity against Staphylococcus aureusand Escherichia coli(Minimum Inhibitory Concentration [MIC] = 5.0 ×10−2-1.0 ×10−1 mg/mL). Luteolin also demonstrated antibactericidal activity against Bacillus cereusand Citrobacter freundii(MIC = 5.0 ×10−2 mg/mL). Luteolin 3′-0-glucoside showed bactericidal activity against Bacillus cereusand Lactobacillus plantarum(MIC = 2.5 ×10−1 mg/mL and 5 ×10−1 mg/ mL, respectively). In the brine shrimp lethality assay, the LD50 value of luteolin was 5.3 ×10−2 mg/mL, and that of its 3′-0-glucoside and 4′-0-glucoside were > 1.0 mg/mL.
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Notes on contributors
Yashodharan Kumarasamy
F. U. Alakbarov is Head Scientific Officer, expert in the Oriental and Folk Medicine, Institute of Manuscripts of the Azerbaijan Academy of Sciences, 8 Istiglaliyat str., Baku, 370001, Azerbaijan.
At the time of writing Liya Davydov was PharmD candidate, College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions, St. John’s University. Currently, she is Pharmacy Practice Resident, Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY.
Ila Mehra Harris is Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Care & Health Systems, College of Pharmacy, and Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Family Practice & Community Health, Medical School, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
Colin J. Briggs is Professor of Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Manitoba. Recently he completed a secondment to Health Canada, as Senior Science Advisor in the Therapeutics Products Programme with special responsibility for complementary medicines.
Gemma Briggs is Research Assistant, IMPACT, The Injury Prevention Centre of Children’s Hospital, 501G-715 John Buhler Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
Mary Chavezis Professor of Pharmacy Practice, Director of Complementary Medicine Education and Research, The Center for the Advancement of Pharmacy Practice, Midwestern University, College of Pharmacy Glendale, Glendale, AZ 85308.