Antibacterial and cytotoxicity activities and phytochemical analysis of three ornamental plants grown in Mexico

Abstract

This study evaluates the antibacterial, cytotoxic activities, and phytochemical composition, of Callistemon citrinus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis and Plumbago auriculata leaves and flowers, three ornamental plants in Mexico. However, in other countries offers a range of other uses. Ethanol extracts of C. citrinus leaf and flower presented stronger antibacterial activity than the extracts obtained from the other two plants. C. citrinus leaf showed low cytotoxicity (LC50 <600 µg/mL) on the brine shrimp test, whereas the ethanol extracts of H. rosa-sinensis and P. auriculata leaves showed no cytotoxic activity. Flower extracts obtained from the three plants did no exhibit cytotoxicity. GC-MS analysis revealed that the ethanol extract of P. auriculata leaf contained lupeol triterpene and lupeol acetate, neither of them have been previously reported in this genus. Gamma sitosterol was present in the leaf and flower extracts of P. auriculata. Higher contents of linoleic and linolenic acids were found in extracts of H. rosa-sinensis leaves and flowers. The ability of the ethanol extracts of C. citrinus leaves and flowers to inhibit the growth of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria indicates a potentially broad antimicrobial spectrum. Moreover, the absence of cytotoxicity suggests the potential use of this plant to treat microbial infections.