A novel anticancer effect of Licuala longecalyculata Furtado extracts on lung cancer cell line

Abstract

Purpose: This study was designed to investigate anticancer effect of ethanol and aqueous extracts of Lygodium microphyllum (Cav.) R.Br., Lygodium salicifolium Presl, and Licuala longecalyculata Furtado on human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cell line, and to determine total phenolic and flavonoid contents of those medicinal plants.
 Methods: The three medicinal plants were extracted with ethanol and water using a rotary evaporator and freeze dryer, respectively. Cytotoxicity of the crude extracts at concentrations ranging from 3.125 to 200 μg/ml on A549 cells was determined using MTT assay at various times. Aluminium chloride colorimetric assay and the Folin-Ciocalteu colorimetric method were used to analyze total flavonoid and phenolic content, respectively.
 Results: L. longecalyculata Furtado extracted with ethanol strongly inhibited A549 cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 12.00±0.41 μg/ml, whereas L. microphyllum (Cav.) R.Br. and L. salicifolium Presl did not. In addition to the morphological changes, an anticancer effect was observed in L. longecalyculata Furtado-treated A549 cells. L. longecalyculata Furtado showed the presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds.
 Conclusion: These results indicate that in accordance with local wisdom, L. longecalyculata Furtado crude extract can empirically inhibit lung cancer cell line, but L. microphyllum (Cav.) R.Br. and L. salicifolium Presl cannot. However, further study of L. longecalyculata Furtado is needed to identify phytochemical compounds and their mechanism of anticancer action, in order to develop them as a new therapeutic agent for lung cancer management.