Cytotoxic Activity of Christia vespertilionis Root and Leaf Extracts and Fractions against Breast Cancer Cell Lines

• Published in: Molecules (Basel, Switzerland) Switzerland), 2020-06, Vol.25 (11), p.2610
• Main Authors: Lee, Joanna Jinling, Saiful Yazan, Latifah, Kassim, Nur Kartinee, Che Abdullah, Che Azurahanim, Esa, Nurulaidah, Lim, Pei Cee, Tan, Dai Chuan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acetic acid; anticancer; Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic - pharmacology; Antioxidants; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Apoptosis; Bleaching; Breast cancer; Breast carcinoma; Breast Neoplasms - drug therapy; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Carotene; Cell Proliferation; Christia vespertilionis; Cytotoxicity; daun rerama; Ethyl acetate; Fabaceae - chemistry; Female; Flavonoids; Free Radical Scavengers - pharmacology; Free radicals; Herbal medicine; Humans; Inflammation; leaf; Leaves; Maceration; Phenolic compounds; Phenols; Phytochemicals - pharmacology; Plant extracts; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Plant Leaves - chemistry; Plant Roots - chemistry; Polyphenols; Quinones; root; Tumor cell lines; Tumor Cells, Cultured; β-Carotene
• ISSN: 1420-3049; 1420-3049
• DOI: 10.3390/molecules25112610

, commonly known as 'Daun Rerama', has recently garnered attention from numerous sources in Malaysia as an alternative treatment. Its herbal decoction was believed to show anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer effects. The present study investigated the cytotoxicity of the extract of root and leaf of . The plant parts were successively extracted using the solvent maceration method. The most active extract was further fractionated to afford F1-F8. The cytotoxic effects were determined using MTT assay against human breast carcinoma cell lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231). The total phenolic content (TPC) of the extracts were determined. The antioxidant properties of the extract were also studied using DPPH and β-carotene bleaching assays. The ethyl acetate root extract demonstrated selective cytotoxicity especially against MDA-MB-231 with the highest TPC and antioxidant properties compared to others ( < 0.05). The TPC and antioxidant results suggest the contribution of phenolic compounds toward its antioxidant strength leading to significant cytotoxicity. F3 showed potent cytotoxic effects while F4 showed better antioxidative strength compared to others ( < 0.05). Qualitative phytochemical screening of the most active fraction, F3, suggested the presence of flavonoids, coumarins and quinones to be responsible toward the cytotoxicity. The study showed the root extracts of to possess notable anti-breast cancer effects.