Cytotoxic, hypoglycemic activity and phytochemical analysis of Rubus imperialis (Rosaceae).

Rubus imperialis, Artemia salina, 3-O-methylellagic-4'-O-alpha-rhamnose Acid Screening of different extracts, fractions and compounds from Rubus imperialis Chum. Schl. (Rosaceae) has been conduced using the brine shrimp microwell cytotoxicity assay. Three parts of the plant (methanolic extract from leaves, roots and stems), three fractions from roots (hexane, ethyl acetate and butanol) and three isolated compounds (niga-ichigoside F1, 23-hydroxytormentic acid, ellagic acid derivative) were tested. The most promising material (LC50 <1000 microg/ml) were the methanolic extract and ethyl acetate fraction from roots. However, there was little correlation observed in the degree of toxicities observed between the isolated compounds. On the other hand, the cytotoxicity and in vivo assays confirmed the hypoglycemic activity of methanolic extract and validated the Brazilian popular use of R. imperialis as an antidiabetic agent.