Physiological Approaches to Evaluate the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Two Wild Euphorbiaceous Species of the Egyptian Flora

Nagah, Aziza; Aly, Saadia Hamed

doi:10.21608/eajbsh.2021.298891

Physiological Approaches to Evaluate the Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Two Wild Euphorbiaceous Species of the Egyptian Flora

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, 13518, Egypt

10.21608/eajbsh.2021.298891

Abstract

Although plant-based medicine is a traditional approach since the ancient eras, remarkable progress was observed last decades in using different conventions in introducing, analyzing and comparing medicinal plants on scientific bases. Thus, we established this work with the goal in mind to compare the morphological traits, essential bioactive secondary metabolites and the total antioxidant capacities of two Euphorbaceae members; Euphorbia maculata and Euphorbia peplus. Moreover, we aimed also to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of these two Euphorbes as biological resources against some microbial strains viz., Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtili, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Aspergillus flavus. The obtained bio-growth markers referred to the stronger invading nature of Euphorbia maculata over Euphorbia peplus. This conclusion is additionally strengthened by the higher levels of antimicrobial activity of E. maculata versus E. peplus. In support, the total carotenoid content of E.maculata augmented also that of E. peplus by 49.4%. On the contrary, the total flavonoids and phenolics contents recorded 92.65% and 83.05 % increments for E. peplus over E.maculata. These contradictory results may give us a good interpretation of the convergent total antioxidant capacities; 5155.2 and 6685Ug/g F.Wt in E. maculata and E. peplus respectively. From the previously mentioned findings, the authors recommended, Euphorbia maculata and Euphorbia peplus, these invasive species, be employed as exceptional natural antimicrobial managers that could be adopted for the improvement of new medications dealing safely with infectious diseases. Besides, these biological resources consider more confident antioxidants in the food packaging industries.

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