Anti-Oxidant, Anti-Malarial, and Phytochemical Studies on Muscari inconstrictum Bulbs Distributed in Iran

Background: Muscari inconstrictum Rech. f. is an ornamental and bulbous species with various medicinal and biological effects. Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the anti-oxidant and anti-malarial activities of M. inconstrictum as one of the Iranian species of Muscari genus. Additionally, preliminary phytochemical investigation of the extracts with different polarity was performed. Methods: M. inconstrictum bulbs were extracted with n-hexane, chloroform, and methanol (MeOH) by Soxhlet apparatus, in the order of their polarity. Next, vacuum liquid chromatography (VLC) was used for the fractionation of extracts. Free radical scavenging and anti-malarial activities were investigated via DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and cell-free β-hematin formation methods. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) were used for the characterization of potent fractions. Results: Among different extracts of M. inconstrictum, bulbs, chloroform, and n-hexane extracts were the most potent anti-oxidant and anti-malarial extracts, respectively. Moreover, methanolic, 80% and 100% ethyl acetate/n-hexane VLC fractions of chloroform extract showed significant anti-oxidant activities, which can be related to the presence of flavonoid and coumarin structures. Furthermore, 40% ethyl acetate/n-hexane VLC fraction of n-hexane extract with saponin structures is introduced as the most potent anti-malarial part. GC-MS analysis of methanol fraction of chloroform extract, 40% ethyl acetate/n-hexane VLC fraction of n-hexane extract, and the volatile oil of plant demonstrated the presence of phenolic monoterpenoid, fatty acid derivatives, and sesquiterpenoid structures as the main ingredients, respectively. Conclusions: It seems that more studies on M. inconstrictum are necessary to focus on pure compounds and their biological activities.