Phenolic profile, antibacterial, antimutagenic and antitumour evaluation of Veronica urticifolia Jacq.

• Thirteen compounds were identified with acteoside being the major compound.
• Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive strain.
• The methanolic extract showed strong antimutagenic activity.
• The mehanolic extract statistically significant decreased tumour cell viability.

The phenolic profile and antibacterial, antimutagenic and antitumour activities of the methanolic extracts of Veronica urticifolia Jacq. were evaluated. HPLC-DAD/ESI-MS analysis revealed the presence of phenolic acids, flavonoids and phenylethanoids, with acteoside as the main component (14.9 mg/g of extract). Antibacterial effect was determined using the microbroth dilution assay and Staphylococcus aureus was the most sensitive strain (MIC and MBC = 7.5 mg/mL). Antimutagenic activity was evaluated by Ames mutagenicity assay. At 1 mg/plate, the tested extract afforded high protection against the mutagenicity of nitroquinoline-N-oxide (4NQO) to Salmonella typhimurium strain TA100 (inhibition rate 48.3%). Antitumour activity was screened in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) model. Pretreatment with 2 mg/kg body weight showed statistically significant decrease in tumour cell viability, while ascites volume and tumour cell count became slightly decreased, but not to a statistically significant extent. The results indicate that V. urticifolia deserves further research into its potential chemoprevention effects.