Promising Antioxidant and Insecticidal Properties of Chemically Characterized Hydroethanol Extract from Withania adpressa Coss. ex Batt

Abstract

Withania adpressa Coss. ex Batt is a wild plant belonging to the family Solanaceae, native to the Mediterranean area. The present work was undertaken to study the chemical composition, antioxidant and insecticidal properties of Withania adpressa Coss. ex Batt (W. adpressa) extract. The plant extract was obtained by use of maceration with hydroethanol, and its chemical composition was characterized by use of HPLC. Evaluation of antioxidant potency was achieved by use of DPPH, TAC and FRAP bioassays. Insecticidal activity was tested against Callosobruchus maculatus (C. maculatus) by investigating its mortality, longevity, fecundity and emergence after being immersed with hydroethanol extract of W. adpressa. HPLC analysis revealed that the studied extract is rich in apigenin, luteolin, rutin hydrate, gallic acid, p-coumaric acid, acid gallate, and ferulic acid. The crude extract of W. adpressa recorded excellent antioxidant potencies with calculated values as follows: IC-50 of 49.01 ± 0.65 µg/mL (DPPH), EC50 of 119.61 ± 1.81 µg/mL (FRAP), and 483.47 ± 5.19 µg EAA/mg (TAC). Regarding insecticidal activity, it was revealed that the mortality of C. maculatus after being treated with hydroethanol extract reached 94.21 ± 2.05%. In addition, hydroethanol extract effectively controlled the longevity, fecundity, and the emergence of C. maculatus. The outcome of the present work suggests that W. adpressa derivatives have promising antioxidant and insecticidal properties, and consequently, they may be used as natural insecticides and antioxidants.