Comparative analysis of phenolic profile, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity of two closely-related Plantain species: Plantago altissima L. and Plantago lanceolata L.

The present study was designed to define the phenolic profile, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity of Plantago altissima L., which has never been studied before and to compare it with closely-related, renowned, well-studied Plantago lanceolata L. The presence and content of 44 phenolics in methanol extracts were studied using LC-MS/MS. A similar qualitative composition including dominant compounds as p-hydroxybenzoic, vanillic, gallic and chlorogenic acid, besides apigenin, luteolin and luteolin-7-O-glucoside was found between both extracts. Antioxidant activity of extracts was determined using several assays. All results of these tests were comparable to butylated hydroxytoluene, a well-known synthetic antioxidant. Anti-inflammatory potential was studied by means of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and 12-lipoxygenase (12-LOX) inhibitory activity. Activity of P. altissima towards COX-1/12-LOX inhibition (IC50 = 4.4 and 3.6 mg/mL, respectively) was inferior to activity of P. lanceolata (IC50 = 2.0 and 0.8 mg/mL, respectively). Treatment of four cell lines resulted in a considerable dose-dependent inhibition of cell growth, where P. lanceolata exerted a stronger effect (IC50 = 172.3, 142.8, 405.5 and 551.7 μg/mL for HeLa, MCF7, HT-29 and MRC-5 cell lines, respectively). To conclude, P. altissima showed certain bio-potential, but was clearly inferior to P. lanceolata.

► Methanol extracts of two plantains P. altissima L. and P. lanceolata L. were analyzed. ► Over thirty phenolics were identified using LC-MS/MS technique. ► Both extracts showed notable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity. ► Overall results indicate that P. lanceolata demonstrates superior bio-potential.