Abstract
Conventional and modern cancer treatment were reported to manifest adverse effects to the patients. More researches were conducted to search for selective cytotoxic agent of plant natural product on cancer cells. The presences of wide range phytochemicals in Quercus infectoria (QI) extract have been implicated with the cytotoxic effect against various types of cancer cell which remain undiscovered. This present study aimed to evaluate cytotoxic effect of QI extracts on selected human cancer cells and then, the most potent extract was further analysed for general phytochemical constituents. QI galls were extracted successively with n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol yielded three main extracts; n-hexane (QIH), ethyl acetate (QIEA) and methanol (QIM), respectively. The most potent extract was qualitatively analysed for the present of tannin, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. Next, the extracts were tested to determine the cytotoxic activity against cervical cancer cells (HeLa), breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and liver cancer cells (Hep G2) using MTT assay. Cytotoxic activity of QI extracts against normal fibroblast (L929) cell line was also evaluated to determine the cytoselective property. Meanwhile, DMSO-treated cells served as negative control while cisplatin-treated cells served as positive control. The most potent extract then chosen to be further investigated for DNA fragmentation as hallmark of apoptosis using Hoechst staining. Qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of tannin, alkaloids, glycosides, saponins, terpenoids, flavonoids and phenolic compounds. QIEA extract exhibited the most potent cytotoxic activity against HeLa cells with (IC50 value = 6.33 ± 0.33 μg/mL) and showed cytoselective property against L929 cells. DNA fragmentation revealed QIEA induced apoptosis in the treated cells. The richness of phytochemical constituents in QIEA extract might contribute to the potency of cytotoxic activity towards HeLa cells.
Highlights
Cancer is considered as the second cause of death around the world
Abdullah et al (2017) reported that polyphenolic compounds constituted by gallic acid derivatives and hydrolysable tannins served as major phytoconstituents present in the Quercus infectoria (QI) extract analysed by MS/MS
The cytotoxic activity possessed by QIEA extract may be mediated by the unique combination of phytochemicals in the extract (Saxena et al 2013)
Summary
Cancer is characterised by the abnormality of cell growth resulted in the uncontrolled multiplication of the normal cells to form tumors which in further invades into nearby parts of the body (Gandhiappan & Rengasamy 2012). The drugs used for chemotherapy were reported to manifest adverse effect towards non-cancerous calls (Nurgali et al 2018). There is an urge for the development of new anticancer medications targeted exclusively on cancer cells. In this regards, natural products from plants are expected to produce candidates for the development of new targeted anticancer drugs. It has been estimated that about 60% of modern drugs were derived from natural origin (Hanahan & Weinberg 2000; Gandhiappan & Rengasamy 2012)
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