LC–MS analysis, anticancer, antioxidant and antimalarial activities of Cynodon dactylon L. extracts

Extracts (petroleum ether, dichloromethane, acetone, methanol/water (3/1) and water) from Cynodon dactylon L. were obtained by sequential method. The chemical composition of phenolics (6.9–57.41 g gallic acid equivalents/kg of dry mass), tannins (2.49–12.32 g catechin equivalent/kg of dry mass), anthocyanins (0–5.98 g cyanidin equivalent/kg of dry mass) and flavonoids (0–5.02 g quercetin equivalent/kg of dry mass) was evaluated. The extracts were evaluated for their antioxidant (DPPH and ABTS assays), antimalarial (Plasmodium falciparum) and anticancer (MCF-7) activities; the strongest activities were obtained by the water extract (IC50 = 57.21 ± 1.47 mg/L), the acetonic extract (IC50 = 38 mg/L) and the petroleum ether extract (IC50 = 39 mg/L), respectively. The results indicate a good correlations between anthocyanins quantity and the antimalarial activity (R2 = 0.79) and also to anticancer activity (R2 = 0.78). The LC–MS analysis of the extracts having the good activities anticancer and antimalarial, has revealed the presence of seven anthocyanins (delphinidin-3-O-acetylglucoside, petunidin-3-O-caffeoylglucoside-5-O-glucoside, petunidin-3-O-coumarylglucoside-5-O-glucoside, malvidin-3-O-monoglucoside, delphinidin-3-O-acetylglucoside-pyruvic acid, petunidin-3-O-acetylglucoside-5-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3,5-O-diglucoside), identified for the first time in this plant.

► Phenolic compounds and antioxidant activity of different extracts of Cynodon dactylon L. were assessed.
► Antimalarial and anticancer activities (MCF7 cells) were evaluated.
► A good correlations between anthocyanins quantity and the antimalarial activity (R2 = 0.79) and also to anticancer activity (R2 = 0.78) were found.
► Presence of seven anthocyanins identified for the first time in this plant by LC–MS analysis.