Preliminary investigation of cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of some medicinal plants growing in Serbia and Montenegro

Six medicinal plants growing in Serbia (Sanguisorba officinalis L., S. minor Scop., Anthyllis aurea Weld., Erica carnea L., Hypericum richeri Vill. and Lathyrus binatus Panè.) were investigated for antioxidant and antiproliferative activity. Due to the literature data there are a little information about antiproliferative activity of those plants. Roots of S. minor, flowers of S. officinalis and E. carnea (mountain Suvobor); flowers of A. aurea and aerial parts of H. richeri (Èakor mountain); aerial parts of L. binatus (mountain Tara) were collected in 2005. Air-dried powdered material was extracted with methanol in Soxhlet apparatus. Dry extracts were used for experiments. Antioxidant activity was tested in reaction with DPPH radical [1] and in lipid peroxidation test [2]. Trolox® was used as positive controls. Total phenolic content (gallic acid equivalent) of extracts was estimated using the Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent. Neoplastic HeLa cells were used for the investigation of cytotoxic effects. Cell survival was determined indirectly by measuring total cellular protein by the Kenacid Blue R dye binding method [3]. IC₅₀ concentration was defined as concentration of an agent inhibiting cell survival by 50%, compared with a vehicle-treated control. All experiments were done in triplicate. The amount of total phenolics varied from 108.9±3.1 to 201.5±4.4mg GAE/g dry weight of extracts. All extracts showed strong antioxidant activity in reaction with DPPH (IC₅₀=16.2±0.8–37.7±2.1µg/ml) and in inhibition of lipid peroxidation. The most active was extract of S. officinalis. There was a correlation between the phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Investigated extracts, also, exhibited significant cytotoxic effects with an IC₅₀ ranging from 66.9±2.3 to 147.7±19.1µg/ml. Preliminary results showed that all extracts possess the potential for antiproliferative action against human cervix carcinoma cells in vitro. Extracts of S. officinalis and S. minor were the most potent.

References: [1] Silva, B.A. et al. (2005) Food Chem. 90: 157–167. [2] Liu, F. et al. (1997) Life Sci. 60: 763–771. [3] Clothier, R.H. (1995) The FRAME cytotoxicity test. Methods in Molecular Biology, 43: 109–118.