Elsevier

Fitoterapia

Volume 74, Issue 3, April 2003, Pages 305-307
Fitoterapia

Short report
Biological activity of Euonymus europaeus

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0367-326X(03)00022-4Get rights and content

Abstract

The n-hexane, dichloromethane and methanol extracts of the seeds of Euonymus europaeus have been screened for antibacterial and free radical scavenging activity. General toxicity (brine shrimp lethality assay) of these extracts has also been assessed.

Section snippets

Plant.

Euonymus europaeus L. (Celastraceae) [1], [2], [3] seeds were purchased from B & T World Seeds sarl, Paguigan, 334210 Olonzac, France. A voucher specimen (PH400 006) has been deposited in the herbarium of Plant and Soil Science Department, University of Aberdeen, Scotland (ABD).

Uses in traditional medicine.

The berries are emetic and purgative; the bark is tonic, laxative, diuretic and expectorant; the seeds are cathartic and emetic. This plant has been used to treat dyspepsia, constipation, dropsy and pulmonary infections [4], [5], [6].

Previously isolated constituents.

Alkaloids [7], polyamines [8] and sesquiterpenes [7], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13].

Tested materials.

n-Hexane, DCM and MeOH extracts of the seeds of E. europaeus.

Studied activity.

Antibacterial activity using 96-well microplate-based broth dilution assay [14], [15] and free radical scavenging activity by DPPH assay [15], [16]. The test materials were dissolved in 1% DMSO to obtain the stock concentration 10 mg/ml. Bacterial concentration of 5×105 cfu/ml was used. The brine shrimp lethality assay [15], [17] was used to determine general toxicity.

Results.

Both DCM and MeOH extracts showed inhibitory effect against Enterococcus faecalis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Proteus mirabilis (Table 1). The MeOH extract also inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus and Serratia marcescens. The most significant antibacterial activity of DCM and MeOH extracts was observed against E. faecalis (MICs=5×10−2 and 2.5×10−1 mg /ml, respectively). The n-hexane extract did not show any inhibitory activity at test concentrations.

All three extracts

Acknowledgements

We thank Miss Vivienne Hamilton (School of Pharmacy, RGU) for valuable assistance.

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  • Ethnobotanical study in the Madonie Regional Park (Central Sicily, Italy) - Medicinal use of wild shrub and herbaceous plant species

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