RAGAB I. ABD EL-FATTAH*, HEDIAT M. SALAMA, H. A. HUSSEIN AND REHAM AYMAN
Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt
*(e-mail : ragabtima@yahoo.com; Contact : 00201274068769)
(Received : October 8, 2021; Accepted : December 15, 2021)
ABSTRACT
This study aimed at examining the main secondary metabolites, antitumor and antimicrobial activity of
the aqueous extract of some Asteraceae members naturally growing at Sharkia province. Sonchus oleraceus,
Bidens pilosa, Senecio desfontainei, Lactuca serriola, Urospermum picroides and Cichorium pumilum were the
selected Asteraceae members in this study. Soil texture of the habitat supporting these plants was
mainly silty or sandy loam soil and pH was in the alkaline side. B. pilosa had the highest value of total
protein content at Dyarb Negm locality, while S. oleraceus had lowest values at Zagazig locality. The
oxidative enzyme activates of the studied species revealed that B. pilosa had the highest POX and PhOX
at Zagazig locality compared with other localities. The antimicrobial activity was tested against six
microorganisms, two funguses, Aspergillus fumigates and Candida albicans, two gram positive bacteria,
Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis and two gram negative bacteria Escherichia coli and Proteus
vulgaris using the agar disc diffusion method. The inhibitory response was concentration dependent and
the MIC varied according to the treatment and microorganism type. The highest inhibition values were
obtained by the plant extract of U. picroides and C. pumilum against B. subtilis. The cytotoxicity of some
Asteraceae members revealed that viability of cells decreased with the increase of concentration of
aqueous extract species and lowest viability of cells was at L. serriola aqueous extract, while the highest
viability was at S. oleraceus aqueous extract.
Key words : Asteraceae members, phytochemical, antitumor, antimicrobial activity