Antioxidant, antihypertensive, anti-hyperglycemic, and antimicrobial activity of aqueous extracts from twelve native plants of the Yucatan coast

PLoS One. 2019 Mar 27;14(3):e0213493. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213493. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Looking for a biotechnical potential, aqueous extracts of leaves of 12 native species used in the Mayan traditional medicine of the coastal dune and mangrove of Yucatan (Mexico) were selected to evaluate their biological activities. Rhizophora mangle and Manilkara zapota showed the highest free radical scavenging activity (3.94 ± 0.19 and 6.42 ± 0.32 μg/mL, respectively), and the highest antihypertensive activity was obtained from Solanum donianum (0.38 μg/mL). The anti-hyperglycemic activity of these species was also tested; the highest activities were registered with R. mangle. The antimicrobial activity of Malvaviscus arboreus, S. donianum, M. zapota, and R. mangle at 10% (w/v) was positive against six human pathogenic bacteria and Bonellia macrocarpa against one pathogenic fungus. Solanum donianum, M. zapota, B. macrocarpa, and R. mangle were positive against two pathogenic plant fungi. These results show that the aqueous extracts of five native plants of the Yucatan coast have potential as antioxidants, ACE inhibitors, α-amylase and α-glucosidase inhibitors, and as antimicrobials, which make their exploration for utilization in the agricultural and pharmaceutical industries a possibility.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Infective Agents* / chemistry
  • Anti-Infective Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antihypertensive Agents* / chemistry
  • Antihypertensive Agents* / pharmacology
  • Bacteria / growth & development*
  • Fungi / growth & development*
  • Humans
  • Hypoglycemic Agents* / chemistry
  • Hypoglycemic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Plant Extracts* / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts* / pharmacology
  • Plants, Medicinal / chemistry*

Substances

  • Anti-Infective Agents
  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Hypoglycemic Agents
  • Plant Extracts

Grants and funding

The research was supported by the National Council of Science and Technology of Mexico (Conacyt, grant #164458) and a postdoctoral fellowship for Francisco G. Herrera (#22650).