GC-MS profiling and evaluation of acute oral toxicity, anti-tumour, antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Croton socotranus Balf.f. aerial parts: in-vitro, in-vivo and in-silico studies

• Published in: Natural product research 2024-12, Vol.38 (24), p.4307-4316
• Main Authors: Al-Hakami, Ibrahim Ali, El-Shaibany, Amina, Al-Mahbashi, Hassan, Abdelkhalek, Ahmed S., Elaasser, Mahmoud M., Raslan, Ali E.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acute toxicity; Animals; Anti-Infective Agents - chemistry; Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology; anticancer; Anticancer properties; Antiinfectives and antibacterials; antimicrobial; Antimicrobial activity; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - chemistry; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Antineoplastic drugs; antioxidant; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Biocompatibility; Cell Line, Tumor; Croton - chemistry; Croton socotranus; Fatty Acids - chemistry; Gas chromatography; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; GC-MS; Hep G2 Cells; Hepatoma; Hexanes; histopathological study; Humans; Kinases; Mass spectrometry; Mass spectroscopy; MCF-7 Cells; Metabolites; Molecular docking; Molecular Docking Simulation; n-Hexane; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases - metabolism; Plant Components, Aerial - chemistry; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase-1 - metabolism; Rhabdomyosarcoma; Ribose; Sesquiterpenes; Toxicity; Triterpenes; Triterpenes - chemistry; Triterpenes - pharmacology; Tumors
• ISSN: 1478-6419; 1478-6427; 1478-6427
• DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2023.2280820

Croton socotranus Balf.f. shrub is widely used traditionally in Asia as an anti-infective. The study was conducted for metabolite profiling, oral acute toxicity and antioxidant studies, antimicrobial activity and anticancer effect against human hepatoma (HepG2), breast cancer (MCF-7) and rhabdomyosarcoma (RD) cells. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed the presence of 39 compounds, predominantly comprising fatty acids (57.76%), sesquiterpenes (24.56%) and triterpenes (9.54%). The n-hexane fraction exhibited promising antimicrobial activity and displayed a potent anti-tumour effect against HepG2, MCF-7 and RD cells with IC 50 values of 3.4, 6.5 and 7.1 μg/mL, respectively. Histological examination revealed significant morphological changes consistent with the changes observed in the apoptotic mechanism of action. The molecular docking study provided insights into the rational binding modes of the identified compounds with phosphoinositide 3-kinase and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 enzymes. Our findings suggest the potential of C. socotranus as a valuable source of antimicrobial and anticancer agents.