STUDY OF THE BIOACTIVE COMPOUND COMPOSITION, ANTIMICROBIAL, AND CYTOTOXIC ACTIVITIES OF ENDEMIC PLANT SPECIES OF...

Area of Science:

• Phytochemistry
• Pharmacology
• Botany

Background:

• The Adjara-Lazeti region boasts high biodiversity with unique endemic flora.
• Endemic species often possess novel bioactive compounds with therapeutic potential.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze bioactive compounds in five endemic Adjara-Lazeti species.
• To evaluate the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activities of these species.

Main Methods:

• Leaf extracts were prepared using methanol, aqueous, and ethanolic solutions.
• Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) identified bioactive constituents.
• In vitro antimicrobial assays were performed against plant pathogenic fungi.
• Cytotoxicity was assessed on human lung carcinoma and normal skin fibroblast cell lines.

Main Results:

• GC-MS revealed diverse compounds like phenolic acids, flavonoids, and terpenoids.
• Rhododendron ungernii extract showed significant selective cytotoxicity against A-549 lung cancer cells (IC50=12.4±0.5 µg/ml; SI=9.68).
• Extracts from R. ungernii, Astragalus sommieri, and Rhododendron smirnovii exhibited strong antifungal activity.

Conclusions:

• Adjara-Lazeti endemic species are promising sources for novel anticancer agents.
• These species also hold potential for developing new antimicrobial treatments.
• Further research into these endemic plants could yield valuable pharmaceutical compounds.