Phytochemistry and biological activity of Cistus monspeliensis L.: does the sampling area have an impact?

Cistus monspeliensis L. belongs to the Cistaceae family and is the most common Cistus species distributed in the Mediterranean area. It was traditionally used in Sardinian folk medicine and contains mainly diterpenes, which have antimicrobial, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties [1] [2]. This study aims to correlate the secondary metabolites content and biological activity of C. monspeliensis plants grown in various areas of Sardinia. The phytochemical profiles of the aerial parts and root extracts of C. monspeliensis plants were investigated by means of ¹H-NMR analysis. The anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of each extract were evaluated using the RAW 264.7 and the SH-SY5Y cell lines, respectively. The activity of phase I antioxidant enzymes and the expression of genes involved in the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant responses were also evaluated. According to the ¹H-NMR analysis, the metabolomic profiles of C. monspeliensis plants showed some differences and the main secondary compounds identified were labdane and clerodane analogues. The in vitro assay results showed that only some extracts were able to protect against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)-induced cytotoxicity. It is interesting to note that only the treatment with one extract significantly reduced the expression of IL-6 and IL-1β and was able to detoxify H₂O₂. This study demonstrates that metabolomic profile of C. monspeliensis could vary in response to plant location, which leads to differences in the plant’s biological activity.

 

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Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Publication History

Article published online:
16 November 2023