Chemical composition and antioxidant, cytotoxic, and insecticidal potential of Valeriana alliariifolia in Turkey

Authors: SEN-UTSUKARCI, BURCU - Istanbul University; TASKIN, TURGUT - University Of Marmara; GOGER, FAITH - Anadolu Universtiy; Tabanca, Nurhayat; ESTEP, ALDEN - Navy Entomology Center Of Excellence, Cmave Detachment; KESSLER, SONJA - Saarland University; AKBAL-DAGISTAN, OZLEM - Istanbul University; BARDAKCI, HILAL - Acibadem University; KURKCUOGLU, MINE - Anadolu Universtiy; BECNEL, JAMES - Retired ARS Employee; KIEMER, ALEXANDRA - Saarland University; MAT, AFIFE - Istanbul University

Submitted to: Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2019
Publication Date: 10/21/2019
Citation: Sen-Utsukarci, B., Taskin, T., Goger, F., Tabanca, N., Estep, A.S., Kessler, S.M., Akbal-Dagistan, O., Bardakci, H., Kurkcuoglu, M., Becnel, J.J., Kiemer, A.K., Mat, A. 2019. Chemical composition and antioxidant, cytotoxic, and insecticidal potential of Valeriana alliariifolia in Turkey. Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology. 70(3):207-2018. https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2019-70-3273.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aiht-2019-70-3273

Interpretive Summary: Many effective anti-cancer compounds or insecticides have been isolated from plants or derived from plant-isolated compounds. Valeriana alliariifolia has a long history in the ethnobotany of Turkey and has many uses in traditional medicine. It may also be a source of novel compounds with useful properties. Thus, we evaluated extracts iand the essential oil solated from Valeriana for insecticidal and anti-cancer activity. Two compounds, EM1 and EM2, had significant activity against a human cancer cell line. Fractionation of the active extracts allowed the identification of the components in each extract. Compounds with cytotoxicity to human cells were also tested for insecticidal activity against timmaure and adult Yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Promising compounds were identified for future characterization.

Technical Abstract: The roots of Valeriana alliariifolia Adams were macerated respectively with hexane (HM1), chloroform (CM1), ethanol (EM1), water (WM1); macerated seperately with ethanol (EM2) and water (WM2). Also, a water infusion (WI) was prepared, in parallel with the usage in Turkish traditional medicine. Their cytotoxic activities against HepG2 and HUVEC cell lines; antioxidant activities (DPPH scavenging and ABTS radical cation scavenging activity tests), and insecticidal activity (against adult female mosquito Aedes aegypti and first instar Aedes aegypti larvae) were determined. The EM1 (IC50 - DPPH: 17.694 µg mL–1; ABTS: 23.8 µg mL–1) and EM2 (IC50 - DPPH: 20 µg mL–1; ABTS: 21.5 µg mL–1) exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than other extracts. The HM1 showed the highest cytotoxic activity (IC50 < 10 µg mL–1 against HepG2 and HUVEC), while the EM2 exhibited good cytotoxicity (IC50 < 10 µg mL–1 against HepG2 and IC50: 11.96 µg mL–1 against HUVEC). The extracts with demonstrated cytotoxic activities, were examined for their insecticidal activity. HM1 was found to be the most active amongst whole extracts, consistent with its cytotoxic activity. Because of the high activities, the composition of the extracts HM1, EM1 and EM2 were determined by GC-MS (for HM1) and LC-MS (for EM1 and EM2). Also, the composition of the essential oil was studied by micro-distillation in order to compare the content of HM1 with the essential oil. The purpose of this study is to present the results of the antioxidant, cytotoxic and insecticidal activity tests of the different extracts and the active compounds isolated from the essential oil and active extracts.