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The purpose of this study was to identify the saponin and phenolic components in root extracts of Saponaria officinalis, a widespread species, found in Cyprus. A total of six major saponins, including gypsogenin and gypsogenic acid derivatives, as well as saponariosides C, D, and E, were identified using UHPLC/Q-TOF-MS analysis, with gypsogenin derivatives being the most common saponins detected through quantitative analysis. A total of six phenolic compounds were also identified, including rutin, quercetin galactoside, syringic acid, apigenin, protocatechuic, and vanillic acid. In addition to their saponin and phenolic contents, the root extracts were prepared through different extraction methods, and their biological activity was assessed. All samples demonstrated antioxidant capacity, as well as antibacterial activity, against four bacterial strains (Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Salmonella enteritidis), with the acetone extract presenting higher susceptibility. The evaluation of anticancer activity in A375 (human malignant melanoma), HeLa (human cervical epithelioid carcinoma), and HaCaT (healthy human keratinocytes) cell lines revealed that the acetone extract of S. officinalis extract demonstrated a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of A375 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. None of the extracts demonstrated anti-neurotoxic potential against Aβ25–35 cytotoxic peptides. The results of this study support previous findings that reveal that the Saponaria species are an excellent natural source of biologically active compounds with antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anticancer properties.

An increasingly common ailment in elderly persons is Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a neurodegenerative illness. Present treatment is restricted to alleviating symptoms; hence, there is a requirement to develop an effective approach to AD treatment. Salvia fruticosa (SF) is a medicinal plant with a documented neuroprotective potential. To identify extracts of increased neuroprotectivity, we partitioned the methanolic extract of SF aerial parts from Greece into several fractions, by employing solvents of different polarities. The fractions were chemically identified and evaluated for their antioxidancy and anti-neurotoxic potential against amyloid beta peptides 25–35 (Aβ25–35). Carnosol and carnosic acid were among the prominent compounds, while all partitions showed significant antioxidant capacity, with the diethyl ether and ethyl acetate partitions being the most potent. These, along with the aqueous and the butanolic fractions, demonstrated statistically significant anti-neurotoxic potential. Thus, our findings further validate the neuroprotective potential of SF and support its ethnopharmacological usage as an antioxidant. The particular properties found define SF as a promising source for obtaining extracts or bioactive compounds, possibly beneficial for generating AD-related functional foods or medications. Finally, our results encourage plant extract partitioning for acquiring fractions of enhanced biological properties.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most prevalent neurodegenerative condition, primarily affecting seniors. Despite the significant time and money spent over the past few decades, no therapy has been developed yet. In recent years, the research has focused on ameliorating the cytotoxic amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide aggregates and the increased elevated oxidative stress, two interconnected main AD hallmarks. Medicinal plants constitute a large pool for identifying bioactive compounds or mixtures with a therapeutic effect. Sideritis scardica (SS) has been previously characterized as neuroprotective toward AD. We investigated this ability of SS by generating eight distinct solvent fractions, which were chemically characterized and assessed for their antioxidant and neuroprotective potential. The majority of the fractions were rich in phenolics and flavonoids, and all except one showed significant antioxidant activity. Additionally, four SS extracts partly rescued the viability in Aβ25–35-treated SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells, with the initial aqueous extract being the most potent and demonstrating similar activity in retinoic-acid-differentiated cells as well. These extracts were rich in neuroprotective substances, such as apigenin, myricetin-3-galactoside, and ellagic acid. Our findings indicate that specific SS mixtures can benefit the pharmaceutical industry to develop herbal drugs and functional food products that may alleviate AD.