Isolation of Bioactive Compounds from Calicotome villosa Stems

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Natural Products Chemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• The stems of Calicotome villosa are a source of diverse phytochemicals.
• Previous research has not fully explored the chemical constituents and biological activities of C. villosa stems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To isolate and characterize chemical constituents from Calicotome villosa stems.
• To evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, hemolytic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities of the extracts and isolated compounds.

Main Methods:

• Phytochemical isolation using spectroscopic analyses (NMR, HRMS).
• Biological activity screening including antioxidant (DPPH assay), antimicrobial, hemolytic, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic assays.
• Evaluation of crude extracts and isolated compounds (basalethanoïd B, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, chrysine-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, chrysine 7-((6''-O-acetyl)-O-β-d-glucopyranoside), and calythropsin).

Main Results:

• Five compounds were isolated: basalethanoïd B, β-sitosterol, stigmasterol, chrysine-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside, and calythropsin.
• Crude extracts demonstrated significant free radical scavenging (DPPH) and moderate antimicrobial activity, with methanol extract showing efficacy against Candida albicans comparable to nystatin.
• Dichloromethane, methanol, and aqueous extracts exhibited strong cytotoxicity against HeLa cells (98%, 90%, and 80% inhibition, respectively).
• Chrysine-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside (compound 3) and calythropsin (compound 5) displayed potent hypoglycemic effects (93% and 90% inhibition, respectively).
• Compound 5 showed excellent DPPH scavenging (100%) and cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells (99% inhibition after 24h).
• No significant anti-inflammatory effects were observed.

Conclusions:

• Calicotome villosa stems are a rich source of bioactive compounds with potential therapeutic applications.
• Isolated compounds, particularly chrysine-7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside and calythropsin, show promise as antidiabetic agents.
• The cytotoxic and antioxidant properties of C. villosa extracts and compounds warrant further investigation for cancer and oxidative stress-related diseases.