Enzyme inhibitory and bioactive potential of ultrasound-assisted water extract from Sideritis montana subsp. montana: phytochemical profiling and implications for therapeutic applications

Abstract

IntroductionPlant-derived polyphenols are increasingly sought as multi-target options against oxidative stress, metabolic disorders and cancer.MethodsAn ultrasound-assisted water extract of Sideritis montana subsp. montana was chemically profiled and tested for antioxidant, enzyme-inhibitory, and cytotoxic activities.ResultsThe extract contained 30.08 mg GAEs/g phenolics and 22.18 mg/RE/g flavonoids; LC-ESI-MS/MS identified chlorogenic acid as the dominant metabolite (4120 mu g/g). Antioxidant tests gave EC50 values of 1.59 mg/mL (phosphomolybdenum), 2.03 mg/mL (CUPRAC) and 0.72 mg/mL (FRAP); radical-scavenging IC50 values were 4.63 mg/mL (DPPH) and 2.80 mg/mL (ABTS). Enzyme assays showed inhibition of tyrosinase (IC50 1.92 mg/mL), BChE (3.39 mg/mL) and AChE (4.36 mg/mL), with weaker effects on alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase. In A549 lung-carcinoma cells the extract lowered viability to about 50% between 250 and 500 mu g/mL, and exposure at this midpoint raised TNF-alpha from 3.39 to 18.23 ng/mL (similar to 5.4-fold) and TGF-beta from 12.71 to 58.18 pg/mL (similar to 4.6-fold).ConclusionsOverall, the hydroxycinnamate-rich matrix exhibits moderate redox, enzyme-modulating and cytostatic activities, suggesting potential in cosmetic depigmentation or adjunct neuroprotection. Future fraction-guided isolation, broader cell panels and in vivo studies are needed to pinpoint active constituents, clarify cytokine implications and assess translational value.