Planta Med 2012; 78 - PI371
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1321058

Cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity of Cynoglossum columnae Ten. in vitro roots

M Jeziorek 1, H Damianakos 2, A Pietrosiuk 1, A Kawiak 3, 4, AE Laudy 5, J Jodłowska 5, K Sykłowska-Baranek 1, I Chinou 2
  • 1Medical University of Warsaw, Dept. of Biology and Pharmaceutical Botany, Banacha 1, 02–097 Warsaw, Poland
  • 2University of Athens, Dept. of Pharmacognosy, 157 71 Zografou, Athens, Greece
  • 3Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG-MUG, Kladki 24, 80–822 Gdansk, Poland
  • 4Faculty of Health Sciences with Subfaculty of Nursing; MUG, Tuwima 15, 80–210 Gdansk, Poland
  • 5Medical University of Warsaw, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Oczki 3, 02–007 Warsaw, Poland

Cynoglossum columnae Ten. (Boraginaceae) in vitro root cultures were established as producing naphthoquinone metabolites and investigated for cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity. The crude extracts of postcultured media showed cytotoxic activity against three cancer cell lines (HeLa, HL-60, HCT-116). The highest antimicrobial activity was observed against Staphylococcus spp., Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Candida spp. strains. Two secondary metabolites of naphthoquinone type, present in the majority of tissues and postculture media, have been isolated and biologically investigated under the same conditions. The comparison of results showed 5O,6-(isohex-1-en-1,2-diyl)-2-methoxynaphthazarin as the most potent in cytotoxic activity towards all three investigated cancer cell lines (IC50 –2,0µg/ml for HL-60). The structure elucidation of second isolated naphthoquinone derivative is in progress.