Insights into the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential of Marchantia polymorpha L.

Abstract

Marchantia polymorpha, a liverwort of the Marchantiaceae family, has been used in traditional medicine to treat inflammation, fever, pustules, diuresis and skin-related disorders. However, the scientific evaluation and validation of these traditional practices are needed to improve human health care. Among different solvent extracts employed for the analysis of antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential of M. polymorpha, methanol extract exhibited the highest ferric reducing antioxidant potential, i.e. 122.35±0.57 (μM FeSO₄ E) and antibacterial potential as the growth of both gram-positive (S. aureus, B. subtilis and L monocytogenes) and gram-negative (E. coli, K. pneumoniae and P. mirabilis) bacterial cultures was inhibited. More specifically, methanol extract inhibited pro-inflammatory mediators like nitric oxide (NO) in a dose-dependent manner and inflammatory cytokines, i.e. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF-α) and interleukins IL-6 and IL-1β in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. Both LC-MS and GC-MS analysis of methanolic extract revealed the presence of numerous phytochemicals responsible for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory potential, such as Pentadecanal, 3-β-Hydroxy-5-cholen-24-oicacid, Stigmasterol, Phytol, n-Hexadecanoic acid, Ergosterol, Caryophyllene, some important bis-bibenzyls like Marchantin A, Marchantin M, Riccardin D, Plagiochin E and some flavonoids like Rutin, Kaempferol 3-O-glucosyl-rhamnosyl-glucoside and Luteolin 7-O-diglucuronide etc while FTIR characterisation revealed the presence of functional groups like alkenes, alkynes, alcohols, phenols and aromatic compounds etc. Therefore, this study recommends further exploration and development of M. polymorpha-based products in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries.