Anti-candida activities and GC mass analysis of seeds hydroalcohlic extract of rumex obtusifolius

Abstract

Background: Nowadays, the use of herbal medicines in the prevention and treatment of diseases has been increased in the world, especially in Iran. Developing chemical drugs resistance in some Candida species and their side effects, conducting research to find new resources, especially medicinal plants, are of prime importance. Objectives: The present study aimed at evaluating anti-Candida activities and antioxidant function of hydroalcohlic extract of seeds of Rumex obtusifolius and analyzing GC mass for the determined material, which included especial formulated extract. Methods: The Rumex obtusifolius seeds were extracted using Ethyl acetate: methanol: distilled water (6:3:1) by Soxhelet system. The antifungal activity as well as total free phenolics and flavonoids content were examined. The extract was carried out against 40 isolated Candida species such as Candida albicans and C. glabrata through well diffusion method. In addition, hydroalcoholic extraction of R. obtusifolius was evaluated for its antioxidant capacities using 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging. The components of the extract were analyzed via Gas chromatography-Mass spectrometry (GC-Mass) instrument. Results: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values were 100 - 150 µg/µL for C. albicans 150 µg/µL for C. glabrata. The hydroalcoholic extract can strongly scavenge DPPH radical, and its antioxidant capacities may be correlated with the total free phenolics and total flavonoids. This study revealed the highest antioxidant capacity in the seeds of R. obtusifolius compared to the control groups. Conclusions: The extract contained a high amount of phenolic compounds, and its antioxidant activity was significant. The seed of R. obtusifolius has strong anticandidial and antioxidant activities, which may be due to the presence of high levels of phenolic compounds, particularly pyrogallol.