The Bioactivity Study of Active Compounds in Wolffia globosa Extract for an Alternative Source of Bioactive Substances

Abstract

Wolffia globosa is a small plant found in the lagoons in tropical zones. The aim of our study was to examine the biological compounds found in W. globosa and their activities. The substances in W. globosa were extracted, isolated, and their chemical structures ascertained by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H-NMR) spectroscopy. The extract was tested for bioactivity, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytotoxic activities. The results showed that the isolated compounds in fraction two were mainly β-sitosterol and stigmasterol. The sterols found in the extract were able to inhibit nitric oxide production in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, which implied an anti-inflammatory activity. The extract was found to be non-toxic to human dermal fibroblast cells with an IC50 of 106.38 ± 37.0 µg/mL.