Biological and Pharmacological Activities and Further Constituents ofHyptis verticillata

Several extracts of Hyptis verticillata and isolated compounds were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antisecretory, and cytotoxic properties. The aerial parts yielded (R)-5-hydroxypyrrolidin-2-one and essential oil with the main components alpha-pinene, beta-pinene, and thymol. Spectroscopic methods (UV, IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, mass, CD) fully characterized (R)-5-hydroxypyrrolidin-2-one, as it was isolated by a bioassay guided fractionation. The essential oil, (R)-5-hydroxypyrrolidin-2-one, as well as the previously isolated rosmarinic acid and dehydropodophyllotoxine contributed to the antibacterial effects of H. verticillata. Furthermore, rosmarinic acid showed significant capillary stabilizing effects. Sideritoflavone inhibited prostaglandin synthase to a significant extent and had antisecretory effects comparable to those of NPPB. The cytotoxicity of the aqueous extract, as demonstrated using KB and HT 29 cell lines, may be of toxicological relevance in cases of internal application.