In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Hexane and Ethyl acetate Extracts of Leaf, Petiole and Rhizome of Petasites japonicus

Abstract

The aim of this study was to ascertain the effect of different solvents on extraction yield, antioxidant activity and cytotoxicity of extracts from Petasites japonicus (Siebold & Zucc.) Maxim. P. japonicus, widely distributed in Korea, Japan and China, is used as a culinary vegetable and a traditional medicine for asthma, migraines and tension headaches, and allergic rhinitis. In this study, twelve extracts from leaves, petioles and rhizomes of P. japonicus were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity against AGS, HepG2, HCT-116, and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Plant extracts were fractionated using hexane, EtOAc, BuOH and distilled water, after which the antiproliferative activity was measured by MTT assay. Cell viability decreased in a dose dependent manner in response to the hexane and ethyl acetate extracts for all cell lines, with a significant decrease in cell viability being observed for 100 μg/ml and 75 μg/ml in the AGS and HepG2 cancer cell lines (p < 0.05). The leaf extract appeared to be more potent against HepG2, as indicated by IC50 values of 4.31 μg/ml for approximately 2.5- and 6.3-fold compared with rhizome and petiole extracts, respectively. The IC50 values of hexane extracts from leaves and rhizomes against AGS, HepG2, and MCF-7 human cell lines were greater than those of other extracts, while ethyl acetate extracts from petioles showed higher significant effect for all cell lines. Hexane and EtOAc extracts exerted their antiproliferative activity in four cancer cell lines. Overall, the results indicate that P. japonicus has the potential to be developed into selective anticancer nutraceutical and/or pharmaceutical treatments with low cost.