Assessment of the biological activities of Azolla pinnata growing in the North-West of Algeria

Many plants' phytochemical composition and pharmacological activities offer medicinal potential for scientific research. This work aims to assess the bioactivities of Azolla pinnata extracts by evaluating their antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. Ultrasonic pretreatment of the samples was carried out to increase the yield of extracts. Two methods were chosen for extraction (maceration and decoction), using five solvents of different polarities: water, methanol, water/methanol (20:80; v/v), water/acetone (10:90; v/v) and chloroform. The phytochemical contents were determined using chemical assays and HPLC analysis. The antioxidants, anticancer, and antimicrobial capacities of the different extracts were evaluated. The results revealed that the ultrasonic treatment enhanced the extraction yield; the highest rate was noted for the methanolic extract (27.3±1.18%), while the lowest values ​​were reported for those obtained by chloroform (5.8±1.04%). The phytochemical screening has shown that extracts are rich in flavonoids, tannins, and phenolic compounds. The assessment of the bioactivities of extracts reveals that A. pinnata possesses a wide range of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal. Despite the substantial correlation identified between bioactivity and bioactive contents in the extracts, the specific components accountable for each activity remain unknown.