Phytochemical screening and Cytotoxicity assessment of Plantago lanceolata L. root extracts on Colorectal cancer cell lines and Brine shrimp larvae and determination of the median lethal dose in mice

Abstract

Colorectal cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancers, with a high mortality rate globally. Plantago lanceolata L. is a medicinal herb from the Plantaginaceae. P. lanceolata has various medicinal uses without significant side effects. The cytotoxic activity, biocompatibility, and in vivo toxicity of the methanolic and acetonic extracts of P. lanceolata root were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, hemolysis, Artemia salina, and mice, respectively. The phytochemical content was performed by GC–MS. The root extract of P. lanceolata was cytotoxic, and IC50 values of methanolic and acetonic root extracts were 282.94, and 119.68 μg/mL on HCT-116 at 72 h, respectively. The hemolysis degree of the methanolic root extract was <1% at 400 μg/mL. The percentage of the lethality of the nauplii was <5% at 1000 μg/mL. One week after the oral administration with 2000 mg/kg, none of the mice died. According to the GC/MS analysis, P. lanceolata extracts contained potential cytotoxic compounds, such as stearic acid (4.90%) and Linoleic acid (3.04%) in methanolic extract and Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (21.04%) and 1,2- Benzenedicarboxylic acid, mono(2-ethylhexyl) ester (72.60%) in the P. lanceolata root acetonic extract. P. lanceolata methanolic extracts were identified as a biocompatible source. However, the IC50 of crude extracts has been obtained to be above the standard, according to the US National Cancer Institute. This study reported a good relationship between the in vitro and in vivo tests, and these tests are a useful tool for predicting and confirming toxicity in plant extracts.