Abstract
Metabolomic profiling, antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial activity of three parts (leaves, male parts and fruits) of the Medemia argun palm were evaluated. Secondary metabolites content showed a significant difference among the evaluated parts. Multivariate data analysis (MVDA) classified the parts into three groups based on their metabolomic profiling and the total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of their extracts. The highest content of secondary metabolites, particularly in the leaves and fruits, was reflected in the DPPH radical scavenging activity and consequently in the IC50 of their extracts. The leaves and fruits extracts showed the lowest IC50 followed by the male parts extract (62.8, 78.9 and 134.4 mu g/ ml, respectively). Individual polyphenols were also determined by HPLC, which revealed the dominance of rutin, spigenin-7-glucoside, vanillic and rosmarinic acids, and kaempferol in the leaves. p-hydroxybenzoic, caffeic, syringic, sinapic, and cinnamic acids and chrysin were the dominant polyphenols in the male parts extract. Ferulic acid, luteolin and apigenin were the dominant polyphenols in the fruits extract. Medemia argun extracts showed very strong antiproliferative activity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG-2) and lung cancer cell lines (A549). Of the three parts that showed very strong antiproliferative activity, the male parts extract showed prominent antiproliferative activity against HepG-2, while the leaves extract showed more prominent activity against A549 (IC50 was 0.587 and 1.038 mu g /ml, respectively). The leaves and fruits extracts showed antimicrobial activity against Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive bacteria) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Gram-negative bacteria). The male parts showed moderate antibacterial activity only against B. subtilis. No extracts affected the growth of Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Aspergillus flavus. The biological activity of the M. argun palm will be discussed in the light of secondary metabolites content in the plant. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study concerning the biological activity of M. argun.