THE STUDY of SOME BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITIES of CUSCUTA CHINENSIS and ITS TWO HOSTS

Introduction: Cuscuta, (Ces as Persian name) is a parasitic plant with different biological effects and applications. The metabolic profile and effects of the Ces depend on the host on which it grows. Its main components are phenols and flavonoids. Considering the antioxidant effects of these compounds, the purpose of this research was to investigate the antioxidant activities and total phenolic and flavonoid contents of Cuscuta as well as Mellissa officinalis and Alhaji murarum as hosts. Methods:  Aqueous, hydroalcoholic extracts of the Cuscuta grown on two hosts were prepared separately. Hydroalcoholic extracts of host plants were also prepared. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were evaluated using Folin- Ciocalteu reagent and aluminum chloride colorimetric assays, respectively. In order to investigate the antioxidant activity, the ability of extracts to scavenge DPPH free radical (DPPH 2, 2-(diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) and their capacity to reduce iron 3+ion were measured by FRAP method. Results: The results showed that all the examined extracts have significant phenolic and flavonoid contents. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in hydroalcoholic extracts, which was proportional to the amount of phenolic and flavonoid contents in the extracts. In addition, the extracts of host plants were richer than the parasite extracts. The extract of Mellissa officinalis showed better effects than Alhaji murarum in all of four investigated factors. Conclusion: According to the findings of the present study, the hydroalcoholic extracts of the Cuscuta plants are rich in phenolic and flavonoid compounds, which may be the cause of the antioxidant activity. Of course, the compounds and effects of Cuscuta depend on the host. In future studies, the plant can be grown in different hosts.