Phytochemical analysis and in vitro biological activity of three Hypericumspecies fromtheCanaryIslands (Hypericum reflexum, Hypericum canariense and Hypericum grandifolium)

In the present work we carried out a phytochemical and biological investigation on threeHypericum species, i.e. Hypericum reflexum, Hypericum canariense and Hypericum grandifolium,from the Canary Islands where they are traditionally used as diuretic, wound healing, vermifuge,sedative and antidepressive agents. The polar extracts of the top flowering aerial parts, preparedbySoxhletapparatususingamethanol–acetone(1:1)extractingmixture,wereanalyzedbyHPLC-DAD and HPLC-MS for the content of eight biomarkers such ashypericin, hyperforin, chlorogenicacid, rutin, hyperoside, isoquercitrin, quercitrin and quercetin, whereas the hydrodistilledessential oils were analyzed by GC-FID and GC-MS. The three Hypericum species had differentresults in both polar and volatile constituents, H. reflexum being the only one endowed with asmallamountof naphtodianthrones(hypericinandpseudohypericin),and containing high levelsof chlorogenicacid,rutinandvolatilemono- and sesquiterpenes.Afterchemicalcharacterization,all products were in vitro biologically assayed for antiproliferative activity on human tumor celllinesbyMTTassay,forantioxidantpotentialbyDPPH,ABTSandFRAPassays,andforantimicrobialactivity by the agar disc diffusion and microdilution methods. Results revealed interestingbioactivities and differences between polar extracts and essential oils, with the former beingendowedwithsignificantantioxidantactivityandthelatterwithcomparableinhibitioneffectsonthe tumor cells (A375, MDA-MB 231 and HCT 116) to that of cisplatin.© 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.