Meselhy Ragab

Phyllanthin and related lignans were found to be responsible, at least in part, for most of the activity of species. This observation encouraged the authors to develop methods for the preparation of an extract rich in phyllanthin and related lignans from the aerial parts of L. Direct extraction with solvents produced extracts with variable yields and contents of lignans. Lignans were identified by LC-ESI-MS analysis as phyllanthin (used as marker substance), hypophyllanthin, phylltetralin, nirtetralin, and niranthin. Extraction with boiling water produced 18.10 g% (/) extract with a trace amount of lignans (phyllanthin content of 0.33 ± 0.10 mg/g extract), while extraction with MeOH gave 3.6 g% / extract with a low phyllanthin content (3.1 mg/g extract), as determined by HPLC. However, Soxhlet extraction with hexane, CHCl, or acetone gave extracts with low yields (0.82, 1.12, and 3.40 g% /, respectively) and a higher phyllanthin contents (36.2 ± 2.6, 11.7 ± 1.68, and 11.7 ± 1.10 mg/g extract, respectively). Extraction quality and efficiency were optimized by adopting the following three different approaches: (1) Alkaline digestion of the plant material with 30% potassium hydroxide yielded 3.1 g% / of purified extract with high phyllanthin content (22.34 ± 0.13 mg/g); (2) microwave-assisted extraction using 80% MeOH gave an extract with a better yield (8.13 g% /) and phyllanthin content (21.2 ± 1.30 mg/g) (after filtration through a Diaion HP-20 column); and (3) treatment of the ground plant material at 50 °C with two hydrolytic enzymes, cellulase (9 U/g for 12 h) and then, protease (4 U/g up to 72 h) optimized the yield of extract (13.92 g% /) and phyllanthin content (25.9 mg/g extract and total lignans content of 85.87 mg/g extract). In conclusion, the nonconventional methods presented here are superior for optimizing the yield of extract and its lignan contents from the aerial parts of .

The yield of essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of fresh leaves ranged from 0.15% to 0.46% w/w; being the highest in spring and the lowest in winter. The oil sample obtained in winter exhibited a moderate acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activity (IC 2.86 ± 0.17 mg/mL), compared to physostigmine (IC 0.012 mg/mL), while other samples were relatively weak (IC values of 2.86-5.40 mg/mL). In all samples, oxygenated monoterpenes were predominating (73.22-89.32%). GC-MS identified a total of 61, 25, 50 and 63 components in oil samples obtained in spring, summer, autumn and winter, respectively. Citral content was the highest in autumn and summer samples (82.02% and 80.01% citral; respectively) and the lowest in winter sample (60.01%). Citral, isolated from the oil demonstrated a relatively potent anticholinesterase activity (IC 0.21 ± 0.01 mg/mL).

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) is commonly used in teas, soups and treat inflammatory-based ailments, vascular and nervous disorders.

AIM OF THE STUDY: The study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of Cymbopogon citratus leaves through scientific protocol. The effect of aqueous (AE) and ethanolic (EE) extracts was evaluated against AlCl-induced Alzheimer's disease (AD) in rats. Metabolic profiling of the plant, isolation of bioactive compounds and standardization of the active fraction were investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: AE of Cymbopogon citratus leaves was prepared as per traditional method (infusion), EE was prepared by repeated maceration in 90% ethanol, bioactive fraction (BAEE) was obtained from EE and the active compounds thereof were obtained by column chromatography. Metabolic profiling of Cymbopogon citratus was performed by UPLC-Orbitrap HRMS and HPLC was used for standardization. AlCl-induced Alzheimer's rats were used to assess neuroprotective effect of the extracts. Neuroprotective mechanism(s) of Cymbopogon citratus extracts was clarified through histopathological examination of brain tissues, estimation of AD biochemical markers, oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in brain homogenates. In addition, antioxidant (using DPPH assay) and anticholinesterase (using modified Ellman's method) activities were investigated.

RESULTS: AlCl-treated rats (17 mg/kg/day) showed histopathological alteration in brain tissues together with elevated levels of Aβ, tau proteins, MDA, NF-kB and IL-6. However, treatment with AE and EE of Cymbopogon citratus leaves prevented the pathological changes and maintained the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers. In addition, BAEE significantly inhibited acetylcholinesterase enzyme (2.11 ± 0.11 mg/ml) and exhibited a strong antioxidant activity (24.99 ± 0.00 μg/ml). UPLC-MS of Cymbopogon citratus leaves showed peaks for twenty-eight compounds, twenty-one of them were identified. Three flavonoids; isoorientin, isoschaftoside and luteolin-7-O-neohesperidoside were isolated from BAEE as major constituents. The powdered leaves of Cymbopogon citratus was found to contain remarkable amounts of caffeic acid (3.49 mg/g dry wt.) and isoorientin (7.37 mg/g dry wt.) as determined by HPLC.

CONCLUSION: Cymbopogon citratus ethanolic extract attenuates AlCl-induced neurotoxicity in rats through inhibition of oxidative stress and inflammatory markers. This effect could possibly attributed, in part to its high content of phenolic acids and flavonoids. Accordingly, we recommend Cymbopogon citratus leaves for protection against AD.