Life Science Journal 2014;11(5) http://www.lifesciencesite.com Studies on biological activities and phytochemicals composition of Hibiscus species- A review Mohamed Z.M. Salem1, J. Olivares-Pérez2, A.Z.M. Salem 3* 1. Forestry and Wood Technology Department, Faculty of Agriculture (EL-Shatby), Alexandria University, Egypt 2. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero, Carretera Nacional, Altamirano-Iguala, km. 3.0, Altamirano, CP 40660 Guerrero, México 3. Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, México *Corresponding Author: [email protected] Abstract: This article reviews the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities as well as the phytochemical composition of extracts from some Hibiscus species. Some of the bioactive constituents of these plants were isolated, purified and analyses for possible use in making drugs. Thus these plants have great medicinal potential for the therapy of infection. [Mohamed Z.M. Salem, AZM Salem. Studies on biological activities and phytochemicals composition of Hibiscus species- A review. Life Sci J 2014;11(5):1-8]. (ISSN:1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite.com. 1 Keywords: Hibiscus; biological activities; phytochemical composition; extract 1. Introduction Gram-negative bacteria of Escherichia coli, Plants contain secondary metabolites, which Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonella are organic compounds that are not directly involved choleraesuis (Wong et al., 2010). Stems and roots of in the normal growth, development, or reproductions H. taiwanensis have been used as anti-inflammatory, of organisms but often play an important role in plant antifungal, antipyretic, and antihelminthic agents defenses (Harbone and Baxter, 1993). Examples (Wu et al., 2005). Flowers of H. tiliaceus L. are include alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, phenols, widely used for birth control and for treating skin tannins, flavonoids and saponins (Edema and Alaga, infections (Rosa et al., 2006). 2012). Furthermore, there is growing interest in the The auto-oxidation of unsaturated lipids is chemical composition of plants towards discovery of caused by free radical (Ak and Gülçin, 2008) and the more effective bio-therapeutic agents (Roja and Rao, antioxidants are used to intercept the free radical 2002). The primary benefit of using plant-derived chain of oxidation and donate hydrogen from the medicines is that they are readily affordable and phenolic hydroxyl groups and forming a stable end accessible (Grunwald, 1995). product (Jain et al., 2008). It was shown that NO Continuous exposure to chemicals and plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of contaminants leads to increase the free radicals inflammation where it is secreted as inflammatory amount and causes irreversible oxidative damage mediator, this may explain the use of H. rosa and H. including biological damage, DNA damage, diabetes, cannabinus extracts for the treatment of respiratory tract disorders, carcinogenesis and inflammatory disease (Lee et al., 2007) and may be cellular degeneration related to ageing (Tseng et al., due to some various active compounds including 1997). tannins, polyphenolics, alkaloids, essential oils and The Hibiscus genus (Malvaceae) contains steroids which inhibited NO production by radical several species, many of which have been used scavenging activity. medicinally and is comprises of about 275 species in On the other hand, the level of nitric oxide the tropics and sub-tropics and most Hibiscus species was significantly reduced by H. rosa extract whereas have a remarkable color pattern with the base of it scavenged up to 36.3% nitric oxide radicals at a corolla forming a deep-colored heart (Lowry, 1976). concentration of 500 μg/ml (Abdel Ghaffar and El- Leaves and flowers of selected Hibiscus Elaimy, 2012). This study would contribute species were evaluated for antioxidant, antityrosinase additional knowledge on the antioxidant and and antibacterial activities. Leaves of H. tiliaceus had bioactivities of selected some species of Hibiscus. the strongest antityrosinase activity and have potentials to be developed into functional food and 2. Biological activity of some Hibiscus species skin care products. At 1 mg extract/disc, leaves of H. A summary of certain screening studies sabdariffa were found to inhibit Gram-positive related to the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities bacteria of Bacillus cereus, Micrococcus luteus and of Hibiscus species are presented in Table 1. DPPH Staphylococcus aureus. At 2 mg extract/disc, leaves method was found to be used mostly for the in vitro of H. sabdariffa inhibited both Gram-positive and antioxidant activity evaluation purpose. 1 Life Science Journal 2014;11(5) http://www.lifesciencesite.com Table 1: The biological activities of some Hibiscus species. Hibiscus Part and extract used Bioactivity Bioassay methods Reference species MTT reduction assay, FRAP assay, 90% methanolic leaf Anticancer and Divya et al. DPPH activity, Superoxide extract. antioxidant activities. (2013) dismutase activity. DPPH radical scavenging activity Antioxidant and Distilled water and ethanol and ferric reducing antioxidant power Mak et al. antibacterial (99.7%) flower extract. assay (FRAP). Agar disk diffusion (2013) activities. method. Absolute ethanol of leaves Uddin et al. Antibacterial activity. Agar-well diffusion method. and flowers extract. (2010) H. rosa- Methanolic extract of sinensis DPPH radical scavenging activity, leaves, stem and root of Patel et al. Antioxidant Activity. Reducing power assay, five cultivars (Red, Yellow, (2012) phosphomolybdenum method. Orange, Pink and White) Free radical scavenging activity, Abdel Ghaffar 70% ethanol/water leaves Antioxidant Activity. Lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein and El-Elaimy extract. oxidation (PO) (2012) Ruban and Dried flower soaked in cold Agar disc diffusion, agar well Antibacterial activity Gajalakshmi water. diffusion methods. (2012). Mungole and Ethanol extract of leaves. Antioxidant activity. DPPH activity. Chaturvedi (2011) Toxicity induced by chronic Bako et al. Ethanolic seed extract. Antioxidant activity. administration of sodium nitrate in (2009) wistar rats. Calyx in methanol, ethanol, (DPPH) inhibition and lipid Anokwuru et al. Antioxidant activity. acetone and water extract peroxidation inhibition. (2011) (Antibacterial 80% aqueous methanol of Fullerton et al. activity (Esherichia Disk diffusion method. H. freeze-dried calyces. (2011) coli O157:H7). sabdariffa Methanolic extract of dried Antibacterial and Edema and Agar well diffusion method. calyces. antifungal activities. Alaga, (2012) Water and ethanolic Antioxidant and Agar cup diffusion, ferric Al-Hashimi extracts of dried red antibacterial thiocyanate, reducing power, (2012). calyces. activities Chelating of ferrous Ion. Extracts of dried calyx and Yang et al. fruit with distilled water Antioxidant capacity DPPH, ABTS assays. (2012) ethanol (30, 60 and 95%) Water extract of Crushed Nwaiwu et al. Antibacterial activity. Agar diffusion method seeds. (2012) Antioxidant, Reducing power and hydrogen H. Ethanolic, cold and hot Hypoglycemic and Saravanan et al. peroxide scavenging assay, induction platanifolius water leaves extract. Hypolipidemic (2011) of diabetes in rats. Effect. Methanolic extract and H. fractions obtained from it Mariod et al. Antioxidant activity. DPPH, β-Carotene Bleaching Assay. Cannabinus using ethyl acetate, hexane (2012) and water. Chloroform and methanolic Moussa et al. H. mutabilis Antioxidant activity. DPPH leaf extracts. (2011) H. Water extract of Crushed Nwaiwu et al. Antibacterial activity. Agar diffusion method esculentus seeds. (2012) Antioxidant, Ethanol extract of the dried Ramproshad et H. tiliaceus Antimicrobial Disc diffusion method, DPPH leaves al. (2012) activities. MTT: Methyl Trizolyl tetrazolin; FRAP (Ferric Reducing Ability of plant; DPPH (1, 1-Diphenyl -2-picryl- hydrazyl) 2 Life Science Journal 2014;11(5) http://www.lifesciencesite.com ABTS; 2-2’-azino-bis-(3-ethyl-benzthia-zoline-6-sulfonic acid) 2.1. Biological activity and chemical composition subtillis, E. coli viz., (17.00 ± 2.91), (14.50 ± 1.71) of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis mm, followed by hot extraction against, E. coli, Previous studies have been indicated that H. Salmonella sp. as (11.66 ± 3.14), (10.60 ± 3.09) mm. rosa-sinensis had to possess bioactive properties and The highest IZs recorded in methanloic extract is recommended to be used as an herbal alternative to against B. subtillis, E. coli as (18.86 ± 0.18), (18.00 ± cure many diseases (Obi et al., 1998). In a study of 1.63) mm pursued by ethanol extraction showed Shivananda et al. (2007), the in vitro antibacterial utmost IZs recorded against Salmonella sp. at (20.40 activity as the same as the wound-healing activity of ± 1.54) mm. On the other hand, the flower crude the ethanol extracts of H. rosa-sinensis flowers in protein showed a maximum inhibitory zone observed vivo. Flowers and leaves are found to possess against Salmonella sp., E. coli viz., (16.55 ± 1.16), antioxidant, antifungal, anti-infectious, antimicrobial, (14.30 ± 2.86) mm. Consequently, Ruban and anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheic and antipyretic Gajalakshmi (2012) reported that the flower material activity (David and Leonard, 1998). can be taken as an alternative source of antibacterial Phytochemicals like tannin, phlobatannins, agent against the human pathogens. The flower crude cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids, saponins extracts was reported to contain flavonoids,