# Erucastrum virgatum subsp. virgatum (Brassicaceae) Endemic to Sicily (Italy): Biological Properties and Phenolic Content of Leaf Extracts

**Authors:** Benedetta Galletta, Fabio Mondello, Federica Davì, Roberto Laganà Vinci, Francesco Cacciola, Luigi Mondello, Antonia Nostro, Natalizia Miceli, Maria Fernanda Taviano

PMC · DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202503466 · Chemistry & Biodiversity · 2026-03-19

## TL;DR

This study compares different extraction methods for Sicilian Erucastrum virgatum leaves and evaluates their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.

## Contribution

The study provides a comparative analysis of green solvent extraction methods and their impact on the biological properties of Sicilian Erucastrum virgatum leaf extracts.

## Key findings

- 70% ethanol extracts showed better radical scavenging activity and higher polyphenol and flavonoid content than aqueous extracts.
- Aqueous extracts exhibited stronger chelating activity compared to 70% ethanol extracts.
- 70% ethanol extracts showed weak antimicrobial activity against selected bacteria.

## Abstract

The present work reports a comparative study between extracts obtained by different methods (ultrasonic bath‐assisted extraction, maceration, decoction, and Soxhlet extraction) from the leaves of Erucastrum virgatum subsp. virgatum collected in Sicily (Italy), using ethanol and water as “green” solvents. All the extracts were found to be nontoxic after preliminary toxicity evaluation by the Artemia salina lethality bioassay. The antioxidant properties of the extracts were investigated by in vitro methods based on diverse mechanisms. All the extracts showed moderate radical scavenging activity in the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) test and mild reducing power, with 70% ethanol extracts exhibiting better activity than aqueous ones. Conversely, all the aqueous extracts showed stronger chelating activity than that of the 70% ethanol ones. Weak antimicrobial properties against selected Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria were observed only for 70% ethanol extracts. The results of the spectrophotometric determinations highlighted higher total polyphenol and flavonoid contents for all the 70% ethanol extracts compared to the aqueous ones. Furthermore, the phenolic profile of the most promising extracts was characterized by HPLC‐PDA/ESI‐MS analysis.

## Linked entities

- **Chemicals:** ethanol (PubChem CID 702), water (PubChem CID 962), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (PubChem CID 2735032), flavonoid (PubChem CID 10251)
- **Species:** Artemia salina (taxon 85549)

## Full-text entities

- **Diseases:** neurological disorders (MESH:D009461), infectious diseases (MESH:D003141), cardiovascular disorders (MESH:D002318), toxicity (MESH:D064420), diarrhea (MESH:D003967), heartburn (MESH:D006356), Parkinson's (MESH:D010300), Alzheimer's (MESH:D000544), arthritis (MESH:D001168), diabetes mellitus (MESH:D003920), fractures (MESH:D050723), cardiovascular and neurodegenerative diseases (MESH:D019636), disorders (MESH:D009358), neuropathic pain (MESH:D009437), fungal infections (MESH:D009181), cancer (MESH:D009369)
- **Chemicals:** alcohols (MESH:D000438), Quercetin 3-O-rhamnoside (MESH:C012526), ferrous chloride (MESH:C029451), formazan (MESH:D005562), nylon (MESH:D009757), potassium acetate (MESH:D019347), flavonoid (MESH:D005419), potassium ferrocyanide (MESH:C031835), BHT (MESH:D002084), 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (MESH:C004931), metal (MESH:D008670), potassium ferricyanide (MESH:C028033), tetrazolium salt (MESH:D013778), Polyphenols (MESH:D059808), L-ascorbic acid (MESH:D001205), H2O (MESH:D014867), trichloroacetic acid (MESH:D014238), Kaempferol (MESH:C006552), ferrozine (MESH:D005297), ferric chloride (MESH:C024555), EDTA (MESH:D004492), N2 (MESH:D009584), agar (MESH:D000362), Free radical (MESH:D005609), formic acid (MESH:C030544), quercetin (MESH:D011794), aglycone (MESH:C458179), hydrogen (MESH:D006859), ACN (MESH:C032159), ciprofloxacin (MESH:D002939), aluminum chloride (MESH:D000077410), potassium phosphate dibasic (MESH:C013216), methicillin (MESH:D008712), Folin-Ciocalteu reagent (-), phenolic acids (MESH:C017616), phosphate (MESH:D010710), Gallic acid (MESH:D005707), Methanol (MESH:D000432), DMSO (MESH:D004121), Ethanol (MESH:D000431), sodium carbonate (MESH:C005686), 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (MESH:C009591)
- **Species:** Escherichia coli (E. coli, species) [taxon 562], A. salina [taxon 400392], Candida albicans (species) [taxon 5476], Erucastrum (genus) [taxon 109153], Brassica (genus) [taxon 3705], Pseudomonas aeruginosa (species) [taxon 287], Artemia salina (species) [taxon 85549], Bacteria Latreille et al. 1825 (Bacteria stick insect, genus) [taxon 629395], Erucastrum virgatum (species) [taxon 308296]
- **Mutations:** M20A, C-26 C
- **Cell lines:** ATCC 43300 — Homo sapiens (Human), Finite cell line (CVCL_LK64), ATCC 10536 — Homo sapiens (Human), Transformed cell line (CVCL_AM51)

## Full text

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## Figures

3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13000674/full.md

## References

60 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13000674/full.md

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Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC13000674