Assessment of antioxidant, antitumor and pro-apoptotic effects of Salvia fruticosa Mill. subsp. thomasii (Lacaita) Brullo, Guglielmo, Pavone & Terrasi (Lamiaceae)

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2017-08, Vol.106 (Pt A), p.155-164
• Main Authors: Tundis, R., Iacopetta, D., Sinicropi, M.S., Bonesi, M., Leporini, M., Passalacqua, N.G., Ceramella, J., Menichini, F., Loizzo, M.R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - isolation & purification; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Antioxidant; Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - isolation & purification; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Antitumor; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Cell Line, Tumor; Humans; Plant Components, Aerial - chemistry; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - isolation & purification; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Salvia - chemistry; Salvia fruticosa Mill subsp. thomasii
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2017.05.040

The aim of the present study was to investigate the in vitro antioxidant and antitumor effects of Salvia fruticosa Mill subsp. thomasii (Lacaita) Brullo, Guglielmo, Pavone & Terrasi (Lamiaceae). The aerial parts were extracted by maceration with methanol. This extract was partitioned with methanol and n-hexane. Luteolin, luteolin 7-O-glucoside, rutin and salvigenin were isolated from the methanol-soluble fraction. n-Hexane fraction showed viridiflorol, β-pinene, 1,8-cineole, as main components. The methanol-soluble fraction exerted antitumor activity against human breast cancer (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and human colorectal carcinoma (RKO and Caco-2) cells. TUNEL test revealed that S. fruticosa subsp. thomasii leads to cells death by apoptosis, with low cytotoxic effects on non-tumoral 3T3-L1 cells. Moreover, it exerted the highest protection of lipid peroxidation and reduced the oxidative stress induced by menadione treatment in 3T3-L1 murine fibroblasts. S. fruticosa subsp. thomasii bioactivity could promote its use not only as food but also in nutraceutical/pharmaceutical industries. •Salvia fruticosa Mill subsp. thomasii (Lacaita) Brullo, Guglielmo, Pavone & Terrasi was studied.•The methanol-soluble fraction possesses interesting antioxidant activity.•The same fraction exerted antitumor activity on several cancer cell lines.•It induces cancer cell death by apoptosis, without toxic effects on normal cells.•Luteolin, luteolin-7-O-glucoside, rutin, and salvigenin were isolated.