Phytochemical and Antimalarial Effects of Ecballium elaterium (L.) Rich. Growing in Iran

Background: Malaria is a well-recognized parasitic disease and a serious public health problem worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas. Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the antimalarial properties of extracts with different polarities from the various parts of Ecballium elaterium (L.) Rich. (or wild cucumber) as a perennial herbaceous plant growing in Gilan and Azerbaijan provinces of Iran. Methods: The air-dried and powdered fruits, seeds, and roots of E. elaterium were extracted using three solvents with different polarities, n-Hexane (n-Hex), dichloromethane (DCM), and methanol (MeOH). The MeOH extract of roots was subjected to fractionalizing by a C18 Sep-Pak cartridge. All extracts and fractions with different polarities were assessed for their antimalarial activity using the cell-free beta-hematin formation test, and the structural groups of the fractions were identified by Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC). Results: According to our results, the MeOH extracts of the plant’s roots presented considerable antimalarial effects with an IC50 value of 0.124 ± 0.0002 mg/mL. Bioactivity-guided fractionation of root MeOH extract by solid phase extraction (SPE) afforded six fractions. The 20% fraction showed the most potent antimalarial effect with an IC50 value of 0.167 ± 0.002 mg/mL. Moreover, the three fractions of 80%, 60%, and 100% methanol/water demonstrated considerable antimalarial activities. Phytochemical analysis of potent fractions of E. elaterium suggested the presence of flavonoids in 20% and 60% fractions and flavonoids and triterpenoids in 80% and 100% fractions. Conclusions: According to our primary phytochemical investigation on the six SPE fractions, it is recommended to purify the active constituents of the most effective fractions and investigate their biological effects in animal models.