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Volume 31
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10.3390/molecules31173037
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Article

Comparative Metabolite Profiling of Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh. Leaf Extracts Reveals Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Potential

by
Timea Henrietta Dezső (Bab)
1,
Irina Ielciu
2,*,
Alina Diana Hașaș
3,
Bogdan Sevastre
3,
Neli Kinga Olah
4,5,
Emoke Pall
6,
Raluca Marica
3,
Alexandra-Cristina Sevastre-Berghian
7,
Daniela Benedec
1,
Ilioara Oniga
1,
Ramona Păltinean
2 and
Daniela Hanganu
1
1
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400010 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
2
Department of Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400337 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
3
Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
4
Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, “Vasile Goldiș” Western University of Arad, 310414 Arad, Romania
5
PlantExtrakt Ltd., 407059 Rădaia, Romania
6
Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
7
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, “Iuliu Hațieganu” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 400012 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Molecules 2026, 31(17), 3037; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31173037 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 30 July 2026 / Revised: 17 August 2026 / Accepted: 25 August 2026 / Published: 28 August 2026
Versions Notes

Abstract

The present study compares the polyphenolic composition, as well as the antioxidant and hepatoprotective potential of extracts obtained from the leaves of Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh. The extracts were prepared using 90% v/v ethanol and the phytochemical contents were assessed using spectrophotometric assays, while independent metabolites were identified and quantified using an LC/MS/ESI method. The antioxidant potential was evaluated by the DPPH radical and FRAP scavenging assays. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using human LX-2 hepatic stellate cells and HepG2 hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Cell viability assays were performed to determine the potential cytotoxic effects of the two extracts on cellular viability and overall metabolic activity. In vivo, hepatoprotective potential was assessed in a CCl4-induced model of hepatotoxicity. Results revealed the presence of flavonoids and polyphenolic compounds in the leaves of both species, with a more significant potential for the B. pendula leaf extracts. The cell viability assays showed that both extracts maintained high cell viability in LX-2 cells, whereas B. pubescens induced a more pronounced reduction in HepG2 cell viability than B. pendula under the tested experimental conditions. In vivo, CCl4 increased ALT activity to 193.0 ± 8.5 U/L, whereas B. pendula and B. pubescens at 200 mg/kg reduced ALT to 30.4 ± 6.6 and 117.4 ± 24.3 U/L, respectively. CCl4 also increased hepatic MDA levels from 202.7 ± 31.8 to 717.1 ± 31.6, which were reduced to 430.7 ± 100.5 and 448.7 ± 65.8 following treatment with B. pendula and B. pubescens at 200 mg/kg, respectively.
Keywords: silver birch; downy birch; phytochemical analysis; cytotoxic; in vitro and in vivo biological effects; hepatoprotective silver birch; downy birch; phytochemical analysis; cytotoxic; in vitro and in vivo biological effects; hepatoprotective

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MDPI and ACS Style

, T.H.D.; Ielciu, I.; Hașaș, A.D.; Sevastre, B.; Olah, N.K.; Pall, E.; Marica, R.; Sevastre-Berghian, A.-C.; Benedec, D.; Oniga, I.; et al. Comparative Metabolite Profiling of Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh. Leaf Extracts Reveals Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Potential. Molecules 2026, 31, 3037. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31173037

AMA Style

THD, Ielciu I, Hașaș AD, Sevastre B, Olah NK, Pall E, Marica R, Sevastre-Berghian A-C, Benedec D, Oniga I, et al. Comparative Metabolite Profiling of Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh. Leaf Extracts Reveals Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Potential. Molecules. 2026; 31(17):3037. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31173037

Chicago/Turabian Style

(Bab), Timea Henrietta Dezső, Irina Ielciu, Alina Diana Hașaș, Bogdan Sevastre, Neli Kinga Olah, Emoke Pall, Raluca Marica, Alexandra-Cristina Sevastre-Berghian, Daniela Benedec, Ilioara Oniga, and et al. 2026. "Comparative Metabolite Profiling of Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh. Leaf Extracts Reveals Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Potential" Molecules 31, no. 17: 3037. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31173037

APA Style

, T. H. D., Ielciu, I., Hașaș, A. D., Sevastre, B., Olah, N. K., Pall, E., Marica, R., Sevastre-Berghian, A.-C., Benedec, D., Oniga, I., Păltinean, R., & Hanganu, D. (2026). Comparative Metabolite Profiling of Betula pendula Roth and Betula pubescens Ehrh. Leaf Extracts Reveals Antioxidant and Hepatoprotective Potential. Molecules, 31(17), 3037. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31173037

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