Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and Infection (general): evidence and sources

Lyme disease, caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato infection, is the most widespread vector-borne illness in the Northern Hemisphere. Unfortunately, using targeted antibiotic therapy is often an ineffective cure. The antibiotic resistance and recurring symptoms of Lyme disease are associated with the formation of biofilm-like aggregates of B. burgdorferi . Plant extracts could provide an effective alternative solution as many of them exhibit antibacterial or biofilm inhibiting activities. This study demonstrates the therapeutic potential of Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata as B. burgdorferi inhibitors. Hydroalcoholic extracts from three different samples of each plant were first characterised based on their total concentrations of polyphenolics, flavonoids, iridoids, and antioxidant capacity. Both plants contained substantial amounts of named phytochemicals and showed considerable antioxidant properties. The major non-volatile constituents were then quantified using HPLC-DAD-MS analyses, and volatile constituents were quantified using HS-SPME-GC-MS. The most prevalent non-volatiles were found to be plantamajoside and acteoside, and the most prevalent volatiles were β-caryophyllene, D-limonene, and α-caryophyllene. The B. burgdorferi inhibiting activity of the extracts was tested on stationary-phase B. burgdorferi culture and its biofilm fraction. All extracts showed antibacterial activity, with the most effective lowering the residual bacterial viability down to 15%. Moreover, the extracts prepared from the leaves of each plant additionally demonstrated biofilm inhibiting properties, reducing its formation by 30%.

Ribwort plantain ( Plantago lanceolata L.), which belongs to the Plantaginaceae family, has been widely used as a herbal plant in traditional medicine across the globe. The present study aimed to investigate the biologically active substances of P. lanceolata root fractions, as well as the cytotoxic and antibacterial activities of extracts. The cytotoxic activity of ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, and n-butanol extracts of P. lanceolata root was evaluated by MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. The P.lanceolata root extracts were also evaluated on gram-positive and negative bacteria by disc diffusion and microtiter broth dilution methods. The phytochemical content was also examined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The P.lanceolata root extracts were cytotoxic; IC 50 values against HCT-116 at 72 h were 168.553 μg/mL, 167.458 μg/mL, and 205.004 μg/mL for ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, and n-butanol root extracts, respectively. The dichloromethane extract of P. lanceolata root had the highest inhibitory effect against S. paratyphi (14.00±1.0 mm) at the concentration of 100 mg/mL. The minimum MIC and MBC (5 and 15 mg/mL) were observed for dichloromethane extract of P. lanceolata root against S. paratyphi . The main composition of ethyl acetate extract was 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid and mono(2-ethylhexyl) ester (60.93%). The major compositions in dichloromethane and n-butanol extracts were 1,2-Benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono(2-ethylhexyl) ester (60.64%) and 2-Methyl-1-butanol (.+/-.)- (17.85%). As evidenced by the results of the present research, P. lanceolata extracts are a significant source of bioactive metabolites. Therefore, they can play a prominent role in the production of pharmaceutical materials.