Isolation and investigation of antibacterial activities and cytotoxicity of atropine and scopolamine

Medicinal plants contain various secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, polyphenols, terpenes, tannins, terpenoids, and flavonoids. These compounds are important sources for treating numerous diseases. Datura stramonium, a plant from the Solonaceae family, is rich in alkaloids, glycosides, terpenoids, steroids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins. Over time, this plant has demonstrated significant therapeutic effects. The objective of this study was to extract atropine and scopolamine compounds, which are alkaloids found in D. stramonium leaves, and investigate their antibacterial and cytotoxic effects. Atropine and scopolamine were isolated from D. stramonium and analyzed using high-performance chromatography (HPLC) and carbon and proton NMR (NMR H1, C13). The antibacterial activity of atropine and scopolamine against Shigella dysenteriae (PTCC 1188), Streptococcus pyogenes (ATCC 19615), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (CIP 81.55) was investigated using the disc diffusion and microdilution methods. The cytotoxic activity on AsPC-1 (pancreatic adenocarcinoma), MCF-7 (breast cancer), and ACHN (renal carcinoma) cell lines was studied using the MTT reagent assay method. Both compounds exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against S. dysenteriae, while the lowest antibacterial activity was observed against S. pyogenes. All three cancer cell lines were treated with different concentrations of atropine and scopolamine for 24 and 48 h. The results of both extracts showed that increasing the concentration of the extracts decreased the viability of all three cell lines. The IC50 values of both extracts were measured at 24 and 48 h. Preliminary results confirm the therapeutic potential of these two compounds, but further studies are required to investigate there in vivo effects.