Total Phenolic and Flavonoid Contents of Cymbocarpum widemannii and Their Antioxidant, Antimicrobial, DNA Damaging Activities

Abstract

The use of conventional herbal medicines is a rapidly expanding phenomenon in developed nations. For instance, 30%–50% of all drug use in China is attributed to traditional herbal preparations. Current study evaluated the antioxidant (DPPH, FRAP), total phenolic and flavonoid content, antibacterial activity, and DNA damage protective potential of aqueous and methanolic extracts obtained from the aerial parts and roots of Cymbocarpum wiedemannii Boiss., an endemic plant in Turkey. In antioxidant analyses, the methanolic extract of the aerial parts showed the highest %DPPH (73.38) and IC50 (3.46 mg/mL) values. The FRAP analysis revealed the highest iron-reducing capacity in the methanolic extract of the aerial parts (108.10 ± 0.11 mg FeSO4/mL). The aqueous extract of the aerial parts exhibited the highest total phenolic content (1.69 ± 0.02 mg gallic acid/mL), while the methanolic extract of the aerial parts had the highest total flavonoid content (13.53 ± 0.09 mg rutin/mL). Antibacterial activity tests showed no significant effect at a concentration of 1 mg/mL for the samples. DNA protective effects were tested on pBR322 plasmid DNA, demonstrating that both aerial and root extracts could protect DNA from Fenton reaction-induced damage. In conclusion, C. wiedemannii exhibits potential bioactive properties, particularly in terms of its antioxidant and DNA protective effects.