Evaluation of biochemical compositions of Urtica dioica L. extracts grown in Tunisia

Leaves and flowers of Urtica dioica L.
Type of data: 
Technical documentation
Source: 
Personal communication outside INCREDIBLE events
Objective: 

Urtica dioica L. is an invasive plant, widespread in northern of Tunisia. This study is designed to explore the natural biological resources such as plants of agronomic and medicinal interest of Tunisia.

Context: 

The work is part of a master's conducted between INAT and INRGREF. The work is aimed to extract the active substances from a medicinal plant with several therapeutic qualities: Urtica dioica. The biochemical and microbiological characteristics of theses extracts were also investigated.

Main results: 

Urtica dioica leaves were macerated using water, alcohol or oil as solvents. The aqueous extracts showed the most important antioxidant power with an IC50 equal to 0.6 mg / ml. The aqueous and alcoholic extract showed an interesting antimicrobial effect against Enteroccocus faecatis, Pseaudomonas aeroginas, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. A total sensitivity against Candida Albicans was also observed.

Main practical recommendations: 

As a continuation of this work, it is interesting to purify the molecules present in these extracts especially in the aqueous and alcoholic extracts. It would be also very necessary to complete this study in vivo conditions.

Impacts and weaknesses: 

Urtica dioica is an herbaceous plant, so many problems were observed in collecting areal parts.

Future developments: 

For the continuation of this work, we should expand the areas of application of these extracts in agriculture as bio-fertilizer and bio-pesticide. It is necessary to integrate them in the pharmaceutical and medicinal fields.

Organisation: 
INRGREF
Contacts: 

Ibtissem Taghouti 

ibtissem.taghouti@gmail.com 

Authors : Omar ZAMMALI, Meriem EL ALOUI, Amani Mahdi, Abdelwahed LAAMOURI

E-mail : omarzam20@gmail.com

Further information

Pottier-Alapetite, G., 1979. Flore De La Tunisie : Angiospermes-Dicotylédones : Apétales -Dialypétales. 1e éd. Tunis : le Ministère de l'Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique et le Ministère de l'Agriculture.

Bougar N. et Kourmi Z. 2015. Contribution à la caractérisation physico-chimique et anti-bactérienne de l’extrait de la plante urtica dioica L. (ortie dioïque). Faculté des Sciences et de la Technologie de la Matière.Bromato. 35:99-103

Figure 1 credit: 

Omar Zammali 

Figure 2: 
Urtica dioica Plants
Figure 2 caption and credit: 

Omar Zammali