Three species of Verbascum L. from Northwest Anatolia of Turkey as a source of biological activities

Phytochemical constituents, and some biological activities i.e. antimutagenicity, DNA damage protecting, antioxidant, antibacterial and antibiofilm of ethanolic extracts of three Verbascum plants (Verbascum mucronatum Lam., V. bombyciferum Boiss., V. vacillans Murb.) were studied. This paper is the first comprehensive research on V. mucronatum, V. bombyciferum, V. vacillans biological activities. V. vacillans ethanol extract has been determined to be lowest plant for phytochemical contents. In 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging activity three plants extracts showed concentration-dependent antioxidant capacity higher than butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). V. mucronatum and V. bombyciferum extracts exhibited strong antimutagenic effect on Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains. Verbascum extracts showed DNA damage protection potential in tested concentrations. However, the lowest concentration (0.5 M) of the V. bombyciferum species Form III were observed and almost completely disintegrate DNA in this concentration. Three Verbascum plants were showed strong antibacterial activities with inhibition zones at 9.0 – 19.0 mm and significant reduction in biofilm formation. It was observed that these plants are potential source of various biological activities.