Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.4
4.5
Journals
Plants
Special Issues
Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities
share announcement

Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Phytochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2023) | Viewed by 40852

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Irma Podolak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna Street, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
Interests: phytochemical analysis; structure–activity relationships; saponins; quinones; cytotoxic activity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Agnieszka Galanty

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna Street, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
Interests: cytotoxic activity studies; lichen metabolites; phytochemical analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite enormous therapeutic achievements, cancer diseases pose an ongoing threat to humans. The plant kingdom has always served as a reservoir of medicinal agents and still remains an important source for the acquisition of currently used modern drugs. Noteworthy is its significant contribution to chemotherapy, and currently applied treatment protocols include a substantial number of plant-derived anticancer drugs. The first step in the development of a potentially effective anticancer drug of natural origin is the study of the cytotoxic activity of extracts derived from plants and other natural sources.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect original research papers, as well as review articles, addressing recent advances in the research on cytotoxic activity of extracts derived from plant species. A wide variety of areas will be covered, including comparative analysis of extracts prepared with different methods, their chemical qualitative and quantitative characterization, cytotoxic activity (including synergistic effects) in relation to predominant compounds, and others. Studies that address advanced chemometric analysis are particularly welcome. Apart from higher plants, reports on cytotoxic activity of extracts derived from fungal and lichen sources are also encouraged.

Dr. Irma Podolak
Dr. Agnieszka Galanty
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • cytotoxic activity
  • antiproliferative activity
  • bioactive compounds
  • extract profiling
  • qualitative/quantitative analysis

Related Special Issue

Published Papers (18 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review, Other

23 pages, 4915 KiB  
Article
Kalanchoe sp. Extracts—Phytochemistry, Cytotoxic, and Antimicrobial Activities
by Justyna Stefanowicz-Hajduk, Anna Hering, Mariusz Kowalczyk, Rafał Hałasa, Magdalena Gucwa and J. Renata Ochocka
Plants 2023, 12(12), 2268; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12122268 - 10 Jun 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1755
Abstract
Kalanchoe species are succulents occurring in tropical regions. They have many biological and pharmacological properties. In this study, the cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of water and dichloromethane Kalanchoe fractions obtained from ethanol extracts of three Kalanchoe species—K. daigremontiana, K. pinnata, [...] Read more.
Kalanchoe species are succulents occurring in tropical regions. They have many biological and pharmacological properties. In this study, the cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities of water and dichloromethane Kalanchoe fractions obtained from ethanol extracts of three Kalanchoe species—K. daigremontiana, K. pinnata, and K. blossfeldiana were estimated. The cytotoxic effect was assessed on human cancer cell lines—ovarian SKOV-3, cervical HeLa, breast MCF-7, and melanoma A375—by MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) assay. The antimicrobial activity was estimated on selected Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria strains and on Candida albicans. The phytochemical analysis of selected Kalanchoe extracts was conducted by LC-QTOF-MS. The obtained results showed that the water fraction of K. blossfeldiana was active both on the tested cancer cells (IC50 values were 28.28 ± 2.76 and 32.51 ± 0.69 µg/mL on HeLa and SKOV-3, respectively) and bacteria strains (MIC values were 16 and 32 µg/mL on S. epidermidis and S. aureus, respectively). The water fraction of K. pinnata also had a significant effect on S. epidermidis and S. aureus, with MIC values of 32 and 64 µg/mL, respectively. The water fraction of K. blossfeldiana triggered a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase in the SKOV-3 and HeLa cells. This fraction did not significantly increase cellular oxidative stress level. The DPPH and ABTS assays revealed that the water fraction of K. blossfeldiana had a strong antioxidant effect (IC50 was 9.44 ± 0.06 and 3.17 ± 0.1 µg/mL, respectively). The phytochemical analysis of the extracts of K. blossfeldiana and K. pinnata revealed the presence of at least 218 main components. The most frequently occurring were flavonol glycosides (31 metabolites), phenylpropanoids (13 metabolites), gallic acid derivatives (13 compounds), benzoic acid derived compounds (14 metabolites), and acyclic alcohol glycosides (16 compounds). In addition, proanthocyanidins were detected mainly in K. blossfeldiana. The study indicates that the water fraction of K. blossfeldiana has significant biological potential and can be further investigated towards anticancer and antimicrobial application. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2818 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Phytochemical Composition and Untargeted Metabolomic Analysis of an Extract from Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) I. I. Johnst and Porophyllum ruderale (Jacq.) Cass. and Biological Cytotoxic and Antiproliferative Activity In Vitro
by Ángel Félix Vargas-Madriz, Ivan Luzardo-Ocampo, Ulisses Moreno-Celis, Octavio Roldán-Padrón, Jorge Luis Chávez-Servín, Haydé A. Vergara-Castañeda, Mónica Martínez-Pacheco, Carmen Mejía, Teresa García-Gasca and Aarón Kuri-García
Plants 2023, 12(10), 1987; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12101987 - 15 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1921
Abstract
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (CA) and Porophyllum ruderale (PR) are representative edible plants that are a traditional food source in Mexico. This research aimed to analyze the phytochemical composition and untargeted metabolomics analysis of CA and PR and evaluate their antiproliferative effect in vitro. The [...] Read more.
Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (CA) and Porophyllum ruderale (PR) are representative edible plants that are a traditional food source in Mexico. This research aimed to analyze the phytochemical composition and untargeted metabolomics analysis of CA and PR and evaluate their antiproliferative effect in vitro. The phytochemical composition (UPLC-DAD-QToF/MS-ESI) identified up to 38 polyphenols and selected organic acids that were clustered by the untargeted metabolomics in functional activities linked to indolizidines, pyridines, and organic acids. Compared with PR, CA displayed a higher reduction in the metabolic activity of human SW480 colon adenocarcinoma cells (LC50: 10.65 mg/mL), and both extracts increased the total apoptotic cells and arrested cell cycle at G0/G1 phase. PR increased mRNA Apc gene expression, whereas both extracts reduced mRNA Kras expression. Rutin/epigallocatechin gallate displayed the highest affinity to APC and K-RAS proteins in silico. Further research is needed to experiment on other cell lines. Results suggested that CA and PR are polyphenol-rich plant sources exhibiting antiproliferative effects in vitro. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 782 KiB  
Article
Phytochemical Analysis and Genotoxicological Evaluation of Prickly Pear Peel Extracts
by Margarita Dormousoglou, Ioanna Efthimiou, Maria Antonopoulou, Stefanos Dailianis, Giulia Herbst and Dimitris Vlastos
Plants 2023, 12(7), 1537; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12071537 - 03 Apr 2023
Viewed by 1630
Abstract
This study investigated the beneficial properties of prickly pear peel (PPP) extracts from Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Extracts were obtained via the Soxhlet extraction method using methanol (P1), ethanol (P2) and ethanol-water (P3) as extraction solvents. Their total phenolic and flavonoid content (TPC [...] Read more.
This study investigated the beneficial properties of prickly pear peel (PPP) extracts from Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. Extracts were obtained via the Soxhlet extraction method using methanol (P1), ethanol (P2) and ethanol-water (P3) as extraction solvents. Their total phenolic and flavonoid content (TPC and TFC, respectively) and their antioxidant activity (AA) were determined. The PPP extracts were characterized in detail using mass spectrometry techniques. Their cyto-genotoxic effect and antigenotoxic potential against mitomycin C were evaluated via the cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN) assay on human lymphocytes. Enhanced TPC, TFC and AA values were recorded for all the extracts. Moreover, P1 and P2 were cytotoxic only at the highest concentrations, whereas P3 was found to be cytotoxic in all cases. No significant micronucleus induction was observed in the tested extracts. The PPP extracts contain bioactive compounds such as flavonoids, carboxylic acids, alkaloids, fatty acids and minerals (mainly K, Si, Mg, Ca, P and Zn). The results showed that all three extracts exerted high antigenotoxic activity. Our findings confirm the beneficial and genoprotective properties of PPP extracts and further studies on the bioactive compounds of Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. are recommended, as it constitutes a promising plant in pharmaceutical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 19779 KiB  
Article
Paris polyphylla Sm. Induces Reactive Oxygen Species and Caspase 3-Mediated Apoptosis in Colorectal Cancer Cells In Vitro and Potentiates the Therapeutic Significance of Fluorouracil and Cisplatin
by Vimi Kshetrimayum, Rameshwari Heisnam, Ojit Singh Keithellakpam, Pullapanthula Radhakrishnanand, Sai Jyothi Akula, Pulok K. Mukherjee and Nanaocha Sharma
Plants 2023, 12(7), 1446; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12071446 - 25 Mar 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1799
Abstract
Paris polyphylla Sm. (Melanthiaceae) is an essential, vulnerable herb with a wide range of traditional applications ranging from fever to cancer in various communities. The use of P. polyphylla in India is limited to traditional healers. Here, we demonstrated that P. polyphylla extract [...] Read more.
Paris polyphylla Sm. (Melanthiaceae) is an essential, vulnerable herb with a wide range of traditional applications ranging from fever to cancer in various communities. The use of P. polyphylla in India is limited to traditional healers. Here, we demonstrated that P. polyphylla extract (PPE) has good phenol, flavonoid, saponin, and steroidal saponin content and anti-oxidant activity with IC50 35.12 ± 6.1 μg/mL in DPPH and 19.69 ± 6.7 μg/mL in ABTS. Furthermore, PPE induces cytotoxicity in HCT-116 with IC50 8.72 ± 0.71 μg/mL without significant cytotoxicity inthe normal human colon epithelial cell line, CCD 841 CoN. PPE inhibits the metastatic property and induces apoptosis in HCT-116, as measured by Annexin V/PI, by increasing the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caspase 3 activation. PPE acts synergistically with 5FU and cisplatin in HCT-116 and potentiates their therapeutic significance. Steroidal saponins with anticancer activities were detected in PPE by HR-LCMS. The present study demonstrated that PPE induces apoptosis by increasing ROS and activating caspase 3, which was attributed to steroidal saponins. PPE can be used as a potential natural remedy for colon cancer. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 2676 KiB  
Article
Effect of Ethanolic Extract of Vernonia amygdalina on the Proliferation, Viability and Function of Mouse Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells and Cardiomyocytes
by Arlette Nguemfo Tchankugni, Mpoame Mbida, Jürgen Hescheler and Filomain Nguemo
Plants 2023, 12(5), 1108; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12051108 - 01 Mar 2023
Viewed by 1392
Abstract
Vernonia amygdalina (V. amygdalina) leaves are commonly used in traditional medicine around the world for the treatment of a plethora disorders, including heart disease. The aim of this study was to examine and evaluate the cardiac effect of V. amygdalina leaf [...] Read more.
Vernonia amygdalina (V. amygdalina) leaves are commonly used in traditional medicine around the world for the treatment of a plethora disorders, including heart disease. The aim of this study was to examine and evaluate the cardiac effect of V. amygdalina leaf extracts using mouse induced pluripotent stem cells (miPSCs) and their cardiomyocytes’ (CMs) derivatives. We used a well-established stem cell culture to assess the effect of V. amygdalina extract on miPSC proliferation, EB formation and the beating activity of miPS cell-derived CMs. To study the cytotoxic effect of our extract, undifferentiating miPSCs were exposed to different concentrations of V. amygdalina. Cell colony formation and EB morphology were assessed using microscopy, whereas the cell viability was accessed with an impedance-based method and immunocytochemistry following treatment with different concentrations of V. amygdalina. Ethanolic extract of V. amygdalina induced toxicity in miPSCs, as revealed by a decrease in cell proliferation and colony formation, and an increase in cell death at a concentration of ≥20 mg/mL. At a concentration of 10 mg/mL, the rate of beating EBs was observed with no significant difference regarding the yield of cardiac cells. In addition, V. amygdalina did not affect the sarcomeric organization, but induced positive or negative effects on miPS cell-derived CMs’ differentiation in a concentration-dependent manner. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the ethanolic extract of V. amygdalina affected cell proliferation, colony forming and cardiac beating capacities in a concentration-dependent manner. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

13 pages, 1568 KiB  
Article
Anticancer Effects of Propolis Extracts Obtained Using the Cold Separation Method on Breast Cancer Cell Lines
by Marek Gogacz, Jerzy Peszke, Dorota Natorska-Chomicka, Monika Ruszała and Katarzyna Dos Santos Szewczyk
Plants 2023, 12(4), 884; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040884 - 16 Feb 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3537
Abstract
Propolis and its extracts show a wide spectrum of biological activity. Due to the necessity to use high temperatures and high polarity in the eluent, the obtained extracts are depleted of active compounds. The new, cold separation method allows obtaining a qualitatively better [...] Read more.
Propolis and its extracts show a wide spectrum of biological activity. Due to the necessity to use high temperatures and high polarity in the eluent, the obtained extracts are depleted of active compounds. The new, cold separation method allows obtaining a qualitatively better product containing a number of chemical compounds absent in extracts obtained using high-temperature methods. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the biological activity of propolis extracts produced with the cold separation method in four female breast cancer cell lines: MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7, and T-47D. The results of the breast cancer cell viability were obtained using the MTT test. Propolis extracts at 75 and 80% showed similar cytotoxicity against cancer cells, with the polyphenol fraction 75% being slightly more negative for cells. Propolis extracts at concentrations of 50, 75, and 100 µg/mL significantly reduced cell viability. With the exception of the MDA-MB-231 line, cell viability was also decreased after incubation with a concentration of 25 µg/mL. Our results suggest that propolis extracts obtained with the cold separation method may be considered as promising compounds for the production of health-promoting supplements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 5086 KiB  
Article
Cytotoxic, Antibacterial, and Antioxidant Activities of the Leaf Extract of Sinningia bullata
by Pin-Jui Chen, En-Shyh Lin, Hsin-Hui Su and Cheng-Yang Huang
Plants 2023, 12(4), 859; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12040859 - 14 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1703 | Correction
Abstract
Sinningia bullata is a tuberous member of the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. Prior to this work, the antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties of S. bullata were undetermined. Here, we prepared different extracts from the leaf, stem, and tuber of S. bullata and investigated [...] Read more.
Sinningia bullata is a tuberous member of the flowering plant family Gesneriaceae. Prior to this work, the antibacterial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties of S. bullata were undetermined. Here, we prepared different extracts from the leaf, stem, and tuber of S. bullata and investigated their pharmacological activities. The leaf extract of S. bullata, obtained by 100% acetone (Sb-L-A), had the highest total flavonoid content, antioxidation capacity, and cytotoxic and antibacterial activities. Sb-L-A displayed a broad range of antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The inhibition zones of Sb-L-A ranged from 8 to 30 mm and were in the following order: S. aureus > E. coli > P. aeruginosa. Incubation of B16F10 melanoma cells with Sb-L-A at a concentration of 80 μg/mL caused deaths at the rate of 96%, reduced migration by 100%, suppressed proliferation and colony formation by 99%, and induced apoptosis, which was observed in 96% of the B16F10 cells. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of Sb-L-A were synergistically enhanced when coacting with the antitumor drug epothilone B. Sb-L-A was also used to determine the cytotoxic effects against 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells. Sb-L-A of 60 μg/mL boosted the distribution of the G2 phase from 1.4% to 24.4% in the B16F10 cells. Accordingly, Sb-L-A might suppress melanoma cell proliferation by inducing G2 cell-cycle arrest. The most abundant compounds in Sb-L-A were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Overall, the collective data in this study may indicate the pharmacological potentials of Sb-L-A for possible medical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1749 KiB  
Article
Effect of Methyl Jasmonate Elicitation on Triterpene Production and Evaluation of Cytotoxic Activity of Mycelial Culture Extracts of Ganoderma applanatum (Pers.) Pat.
by Katarzyna Sułkowska-Ziaja, Agnieszka Galanty, Agnieszka Szewczyk, Paweł Paśko, Katarzyna Kała, Anna Apola, Irma Podolak and Bożena Muszyńska
Plants 2023, 12(2), 294; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12020294 - 08 Jan 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3568
Abstract
Abiotic elicitation, a well-known strategy in mushroom biotechnology, promotes increased accumulation of secondary metabolites in mycelial cultures. The study aimed the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on the production of triterpenes in submerged cultures of Ganoderma applanatum. Further, the study evaluated the [...] Read more.
Abiotic elicitation, a well-known strategy in mushroom biotechnology, promotes increased accumulation of secondary metabolites in mycelial cultures. The study aimed the effects of methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on the production of triterpenes in submerged cultures of Ganoderma applanatum. Further, the study evaluated the cytotoxic activity of the extract corresponding to the optimal elicitation variant in selected human cancer cell lines as well as the selectivity against normal cells. MeJA was added on days 1, 4, 6, and 8 in the 10-day growth cycle at concentrations of 10, 50, 100, 150, and 200 µM MeJA. The HPLC-DAD was used to analyze the triterpenes. The cytotoxic activity was tested using the MTTFc assay in grouped panels of skin, prostate, and gastrointestinal cancer cells. The results of the quantitative analyses confirmed the stimulating effect of MeJA on the production of ganoderic acid A and ganoderic acid C. The greatest increase in total triterpenes was found on day 6 of the culture cycle compared to the control group—with the concentration of MeJA—150 µM. Compared to the control samples, mycelial culture extract after the most productive elicitation variant showed significant cytotoxic activity against prostate cancer cells and moderate effects on melanoma cells. Ganoderma applanatum mycelial cultures can be proposed as a model to study the dynamics of the accumulation of compounds with therapeutic values through abiotic elicitation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2237 KiB  
Article
The Inhibitory Effects and Cytotoxic Activities of the Stem Extract of Sarracenia purpurea against Melanoma Cells and the SsbA Protein
by Hong-Wen Liu, Wei-Yu Chiang, Yen-Hua Huang and Cheng-Yang Huang
Plants 2022, 11(22), 3164; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11223164 - 18 Nov 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1381
Abstract
The Staphylococcus aureus SsbA protein (SaSsbA) is a single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) that is categorically required for DNA replication and cell survival, and it is thus an attractive target for potential antipathogen chemotherapy. In this study, we prepared the stem extract of Sarracenia [...] Read more.
The Staphylococcus aureus SsbA protein (SaSsbA) is a single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB) that is categorically required for DNA replication and cell survival, and it is thus an attractive target for potential antipathogen chemotherapy. In this study, we prepared the stem extract of Sarracenia purpurea obtained from 100% acetone to investigate its inhibitory effect against SaSsbA. In addition, the cytotoxic effects of this extract on the survival, apoptosis, proliferation, and migration of B16F10 melanoma cells were also examined. Initially, myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol, dihydroquercetin, dihydrokaempferol, rutin, catechin, β-amyrin, oridonin, thioflavin T, primuline, and thioflavin S were used as possible inhibitors against SaSsbA. Of these compounds, dihydrokaempferol and oridonin were capable of inhibiting the ssDNA-binding activity of SaSsbA with respective IC50 values of 750 ± 62 and 2607 ± 242 μM. Given the poor inhibition abilities of dihydrokaempferol and oridonin, we screened the extracts of S. purpurea, Nepenthes miranda, and Plinia cauliflora for SaSsbA inhibitors. The stem extract of S. purpurea exhibited high anti-SaSsbA activity, with an IC50 value of 4.0 ± 0.3 μg/mL. The most abundant compounds in the stem extract of S. purpurea were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The top five most abundant contents in this extract were driman-8,11-diol, deoxysericealactone, stigmast-5-en-3-ol, apocynin, and α-amyrin. Using the MOE-Dock tool, the binding modes of these compounds, as well as dihydrokaempferol and oridonin, to SaSsbA were elucidated, and their binding energies were also calculated. Based on the S scores, the binding capacity of these compounds was in the following order: deoxysericealactone > dihydrokaempferol > apocynin > driman-8,11-diol > stigmast-5-en-3-ol > oridonin > α-amyrin. Incubation of B16F10 cells with the stem extract of S. purpurea at a concentration of 100 μg/mL caused deaths at the rate of 76%, reduced migration by 95%, suppressed proliferation and colony formation by 99%, and induced apoptosis, which was observed in 96% of the B16F10 cells. Overall, the collective data in this study indicate the pharmacological potential of the stem extract of S. purpurea for further medical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1045 KiB  
Article
Chemical Composition and Cytotoxic Activity of Extracts from Carpesium divaricatum: In Vitro- versus Field-Grown Plants
by Janusz Malarz, Agnieszka Galanty and Anna Stojakowska
Plants 2022, 11(21), 2815; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11212815 - 23 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1610
Abstract
Carpesium divaricatum Sieb. & Zucc. is a plant species rich in terpenoids of anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity, especially germacranolides of potential medicinal value. The present study describes in vitro multiplication of C. divaricatum, analysis of active constituents in the multiple shoots, [...] Read more.
Carpesium divaricatum Sieb. & Zucc. is a plant species rich in terpenoids of anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity, especially germacranolides of potential medicinal value. The present study describes in vitro multiplication of C. divaricatum, analysis of active constituents in the multiple shoots, and assessment of cytotoxic activities of extracts prepared from in vitro- and field-grown plants. The plant extracts were evaluated for cytotoxicity using two melanoma cell lines (HTB140 and A375); human keratinocytes (HaCaT); two colon cancer cell lines (Caco2 and HT29); human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2); two lines of prostate cancer cells (DU145 and PC3) and prostate epithelial cells (PNT2). Chemical compositions of the assayed extracts were analyzed by HPLC/DAD, in reference to isolated compounds. Maximum of 4.07 ± 1.61 shoots regenerated from a nodal explant of C. divaricatum, cultivated in a liquid MS medium supplemented with thidiazuron (1 μM). In vitro grown shoots and plantlets of C. divaricatum accumulated terpenoids that are known as active constituents of the intact plant. Cytotoxic activity of the extracts prepared from the in vitro cultured plants was like that demonstrated by the extracts prepared from field-grown plants and seemed to be more selective than cytotoxicities of the individual germacranolides. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

15 pages, 2303 KiB  
Article
Broccoli Sprouts and Their Influence on Thyroid Function in Different In Vitro and In Vivo Models
by Paweł Paśko, Paweł Zagrodzki, Krzysztof Okoń, Ewelina Prochownik, Mirosław Krośniak and Agnieszka Galanty
Plants 2022, 11(20), 2750; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11202750 - 18 Oct 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3002
Abstract
Broccoli sprouts are a super vegetable; however, they have possible negative effects on thyroid function, which is especially important for patients with hypothyroidism. As the data on this issue are scarce, this study aimed to determine the safety and possible beneficial effect of [...] Read more.
Broccoli sprouts are a super vegetable; however, they have possible negative effects on thyroid function, which is especially important for patients with hypothyroidism. As the data on this issue are scarce, this study aimed to determine the safety and possible beneficial effect of broccoli sprouts both in vitro and in vivo. The in vitro model comprised the evaluation of the impact of broccoli sprouts on normal and neoplastic thyroid cells and the determination of their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant (IL-6, TNF-alpha, NO, and SOD) potential in macrophages. The in vivo model concerned the histopathological analysis of thyroid glands in healthy rats and rats with hypothyroidism (induced by iodine deficiency or sulfadimethoxine ingestion) fed with broccoli sprouts. The results of our study indicated that broccoli sprouts decreased the viability of thyroid cancer cells and prevented inflammation. The results also confirmed the satisfactory safety profile of the sprouts, both in vitro and in vivo; however, a further in-depth evaluation of this problem is still needed. Information on the influence of brassica vegetables on thyroid function is of great importance in terms of public health, particularly when taking into account that the risk of iodine deficiency, hypothyroidism, and thyroid cancer in the global population is still increasing. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 325 KiB  
Article
Investigation of the Genotoxicological Profile of Aqueous Betula pendula Extracts
by Ioanna Efthimiou, Dimitris Vlastos, Vassilios Triantafyllidis, Antonios Eleftherianos and Maria Antonopoulou
Plants 2022, 11(20), 2673; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11202673 - 11 Oct 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1272
Abstract
Betula pendula belongs to the Betulaceae family and is most common in the northern hemisphere. Various birch species have exhibited antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer properties. In the present study, we investigated the genotoxic and cytotoxic activity as well as the antigenotoxic potential against [...] Read more.
Betula pendula belongs to the Betulaceae family and is most common in the northern hemisphere. Various birch species have exhibited antimicrobial, antioxidant and anticancer properties. In the present study, we investigated the genotoxic and cytotoxic activity as well as the antigenotoxic potential against the mutagenic agent mitomycin-C (MMC) of two commercial products, i.e., a Betula pendula aqueous leaf extract product (BE) and a Betula pendula product containing aqueous extract of birch leaves at a percentage of 94% and lemon juice at a percentage of 6% (BP) using the cytokinesis block micronucleus (CBMN) assay. The most prevalent compounds and elements of BE and BP were identified using UHPLC-MS and ICP-MS/MS, respectively. All mixtures of BE with MMC demonstrated a decrease in the MN frequencies, with the lowest and highest concentrations inducing a statistically significant antigenotoxic activity. BP lacked genotoxic potential, while it was cytotoxic in all concentrations. Its mixtures with MMC demonstrated statistically significant antigenotoxic activity only at the lowest concentration. UHPLC-MS and ICP-MS/MS showed the presence of various elements and phytochemicals. Our results reveal antigenotoxic and cytotoxic potential of both BE and BP, while the variations observed could indicate the importance of the interactions among different natural products and/or their compounds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
19 pages, 6247 KiB  
Article
Cytotoxic Activities and the Allantoinase Inhibitory Effect of the Leaf Extract of the Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Nepenthes miranda
by En-Shyh Lin and Cheng-Yang Huang
Plants 2022, 11(17), 2265; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11172265 - 31 Aug 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2085
Abstract
Nepenthes are carnivorous pitcher plants that have several ethnobotanical uses, such as curing stomachache and fever. Here, we prepared different extracts from the stem, leaf, and pitcher of Nepenthes miranda to further investigate their pharmacological potential. The leaf extract of N. miranda obtained [...] Read more.
Nepenthes are carnivorous pitcher plants that have several ethnobotanical uses, such as curing stomachache and fever. Here, we prepared different extracts from the stem, leaf, and pitcher of Nepenthes miranda to further investigate their pharmacological potential. The leaf extract of N. miranda obtained by 100% acetone (N. miranda-leaf-acetone) was used in this study to analyze the cytotoxic activities, antioxidation capacity, antibacterial activity, and allantoinase (ALLase) inhibitory effect of this plant. The cytotoxic effects of N. miranda-leaf-acetone on the survival, apoptosis, and migration of the cancer cell lines PC-9 pulmonary adenocarcinoma, B16F10 melanoma, and 4T1 mammary carcinoma cells were demonstrated. Based on collective data, the cytotoxic activities of N. miranda-leaf-acetone followed the order: B16F10 > 4T1 > PC-9 cells. In addition, the cytotoxic activities of N. miranda-leaf-acetone were synergistically enhanced when co-acting with the clinical anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil. N. miranda-leaf-acetone could also inhibit the activity of ALLase, a key enzyme in the catabolism pathway for purine degradation. Through gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, the 16 most abundant ingredients in N. miranda-leaf-acetone were identified. The top six compounds in N. miranda-leaf-acetone, namely, plumbagin, lupenone, palmitic acid, stigmast-5-en-3-ol, neophytadiene, and citraconic anhydride, were docked to ALLase, and their docking scores were compared. The docking results suggested plumbagin and stigmast-5-en-3-ol as potential inhibitors of ALLase. Overall, these results may indicate the pharmacological potential of N. miranda for further medical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 5693 KiB  
Article
Optimization of the Extraction Procedure for the Phenolic-Rich Glechoma hederacea L. Herb and Evaluation of Its Cytotoxic and Antioxidant Potential
by Karolina Grabowska, Kinga Amanowicz, Paweł Paśko, Irma Podolak and Agnieszka Galanty
Plants 2022, 11(17), 2217; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11172217 - 26 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1967
Abstract
The dried Glechoma hederacea L. herb has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Its therapeutic potential is related to the presence of phenolic compounds. To optimize extraction efficiency the effect of the use of different techniques (HRE—heat reflux extraction, I/ME—infusion combined [...] Read more.
The dried Glechoma hederacea L. herb has a long history of use in traditional medicine. Its therapeutic potential is related to the presence of phenolic compounds. To optimize extraction efficiency the effect of the use of different techniques (HRE—heat reflux extraction, I/ME—infusion combined with maceration, UE—sonication and SE—Soxhlet extraction), various solvents (water and ethanol) and processing time (15 min to 2 h) on phenolics content was investigated. The HPLC method was applied to determine and compare the content of phenolic acids (rosmarinic, chlorogenic, protocatechuic) and flavonoids (rutin, isoquercetin) in the extracts. Furthermore, the cytotoxic activity of the extracts was examined for the first time against human cancer and normal cells of skin origin (A375, HTB140, HaCaT) and gastrointestinal origin (Caco-2 and HT-29, HepG2). In addition, the antioxidant potential was evaluated using the DPPH and FRAP method. The I/ME-water and HRE/ethanol procedures turned out to be optimal for obtaining extracts of dried G. hederacea L. herb rich in bioactive phenolics. These extracts exhibited high antioxidant activity, correlated with the content of the compounds analyzed. Furthermore, the extracts of the dried Glechoma herb were not toxic to normal human cells, indicating its safe use both internally and externally. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 6201 KiB  
Article
Anticancer and Antioxidant Activities of the Root Extract of the Carnivorous Pitcher Plant Sarracenia purpurea
by Yen-Hua Huang, Wei-Yu Chiang, Pin-Jui Chen, En-Shyh Lin and Cheng-Yang Huang
Plants 2022, 11(13), 1668; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11131668 - 23 Jun 2022
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3578
Abstract
The carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea exhibits many ethnobotanical uses, including the treatments of type 2 diabetes and tuberculosis-like symptoms. In this study, we prepared different extracts from the leaves (pitchers), stems, and roots of S. purpurea and investigated their antioxidant and anticancer [...] Read more.
The carnivorous pitcher plant Sarracenia purpurea exhibits many ethnobotanical uses, including the treatments of type 2 diabetes and tuberculosis-like symptoms. In this study, we prepared different extracts from the leaves (pitchers), stems, and roots of S. purpurea and investigated their antioxidant and anticancer properties. To evaluate the extraction efficiency, we individually used different solvents, namely methanol, ethanol, acetone, and distilled water, for S. purpurea extract preparations. The root extract of S. purpurea, obtained by 100% acetone (S. purpurea-root-acetone), had the highest anticancer activities, antioxidation capacity (the DPPH activity with IC50 of 89.3 ± 2.2 μg/mL), antibacterial activities, total phenolic content (33.4 ± 0.7 mg GAE/g), and total flavonoid content (107.9 ± 2.2 mg QUE/g). The most abundant compounds in S. purpurea-root-acetone were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry; 7,8-Dihydro-α-ionone was the major compound present in S. purpurea-root-acetone. In addition, the co-cytotoxicity of S. purpurea-root-acetone (combined with the clinical anticancer drug 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) on the survival, apoptosis, proliferation, and migration of the 4T1 mammary carcinoma) was examined. The combination of 5-FU with S. purpurea-root-acetone could be highly efficient for anti-4T1 cells. We also found that S. purpurea-root-acetone could inhibit the enzymatic activity of human dihydroorotase (huDHOase), an attractive target for potential anticancer chemotherapy. The sic most abundant compounds in S. purpurea-root-acetone were tested using an in silico analysis via MOE-Dock software for their binding affinities. The top-ranked docking conformations were observed for 7,8-dihydro-α-ionone and stigmast-5-en-3-ol, suggesting the inhibition potential against huDHOase. Overall, the collective data in this study may indicate the pharmacological potentials of S. purpurea-root-acetone for possible medical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1232 KiB  
Article
Cytotoxic Effects of Some Nepeta Species against Breast Cancer Cell Lines and Their Associated Phytochemical Properties
by Esra Köngül Şafak, Gökçe Şeker Karatoprak, Tuncay Dirmenci, Hayri Duman and Nurgün Küçükboyacı
Plants 2022, 11(11), 1427; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11111427 - 27 May 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2131
Abstract
Nepeta is one of the largest genera of the Lamiaceae family. Nepeta species are commonly employed in traditional medicine for a variety of ailments, as well as food additives. In addition, they also come to the fore with their rich phytochemical content. In [...] Read more.
Nepeta is one of the largest genera of the Lamiaceae family. Nepeta species are commonly employed in traditional medicine for a variety of ailments, as well as food additives. In addition, they also come to the fore with their rich phytochemical content. In the present study, the quantitative phytochemical content of methanolic extracts and infusions prepared from the aerial parts of 14 Nepeta taxa collected from Turkey and their cytotoxic effects on two breast cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, were investigated by using the MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl))-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium-bromide) test. According to HPLC-PDA analysis, N. racemosa methanolic extract had the highest ursolic acid content with 165.9 mg/g extract. Total sterol, total iridoid, and total triterpenoid content were determined to be greatest in the methanolic extracts of N. meyeri, N. trichocalyx and N. phyllochlamys. The MTT experiment demonstrated that certain Nepeta species suppressed the growth of MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Statistical analysis revealed a strong correlation between the cytotoxic effects of the extracts and their triterpene content. In conclusion, the data obtained from this study are important in terms of forming a basis for advanced anticancer activity studies on breast cancer with Nepeta sp. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research, Other

27 pages, 691 KiB  
Review
Extraction Techniques and Analytical Methods for Isolation and Characterization of Lignans
by Andrzej Patyra, Małgorzata Kołtun-Jasion, Oktawia Jakubiak and Anna Karolina Kiss
Plants 2022, 11(17), 2323; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants11172323 - 05 Sep 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 4315
Abstract
Lignans are a group of natural polyphenols present in medicinal plants and in plants which are a part of the human diet for which more and more pharmacological activities, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and cytoprotective, are being reported. However, it is their [...] Read more.
Lignans are a group of natural polyphenols present in medicinal plants and in plants which are a part of the human diet for which more and more pharmacological activities, such as antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, hypoglycemic, and cytoprotective, are being reported. However, it is their cytotoxic activities that are best understood and which have shed light on this group. Two anticancer drugs, etoposide, and teniposide, were derived from a potent cytotoxic agent—podophyllotoxin from the roots of Podophyllum peltatum. The evidence from clinical and observational studies suggests that human microbiota metabolites (enterolactone, enterodiol) of dietary lignans (secoisolariciresinol, pinoresinol, lariciresinol, matairesinol, syringaresinol, medioresinol, and sesamin) are associated with a reduced risk of some hormone-dependent cancers. The biological in vitro, pharmacological in vivo investigations, and clinical studies demand significant amounts of pure compounds, as well as the use of well-defined and standardized extracts. That is why proper extract preparation, optimization of lignan extraction, and identification are crucial steps in the development of lignan use in medicine. This review focuses on lignan extraction, purification, fractionation, separation, and isolation methods, as well as on chromatographic, spectrometric, and spectroscopic techniques for their qualitative and quantitative analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Other

Jump to: Research, Review

5 pages, 217 KiB  
Correction
Correction: Chen et al. Cytotoxic, Antibacterial, and Antioxidant Activities of the Leaf Extract of Sinningia bullata. Plants 2023, 12, 859
by Pin-Jui Chen, En-Shyh Lin, Hsin-Hui Su and Cheng-Yang Huang
Plants 2023, 12(20), 3557; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants12203557 - 13 Oct 2023
Viewed by 444
Abstract
The authors would like to supplement some methodology information including the controls in the originally published version of this manuscript [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Extracts and Their Cytotoxic Activities)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-18
Back to TopTop