Powerful anti-inflammatory, anti-Herpes and anticancer capacities of Thymelaea microphylla L. and TLC phenolic identification

Thymelaea microphylla is an edible and medicinal species that exhibits high antioxidant activity and phenolic content. Moreover, four fractions (hexane, dichloromethane, methanol and water) were tested towards their ex-vivo antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory and antiviral effects. Dichloromethane fraction had marked protection against cell oxidative stress (IC50 = 1.5 µg/mL). Hexane, Dichloromethane and Methanol fractions exhibited prominent anti-proliferative activities against cancer cells especially A-549 cells, with very low IC50 values of 0.13, 0.018 and 0.5 µg/mL, respectively (50, 101 and 14 higher than Etoposide). Moreover, the three fractions showed no cytotoxicity on normal fibroblast WS-1. DCM exhibited high anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 cells. Theses fractions were also tested on herpes (HSV-1). MeOH fraction was the most active acting both directly on the virus and on its adsorption. Phenolics, terpenoids and saponins were the major classes. These findings demonstrate that T. microphylla is a very promising source of selective anticancer molecules.