Rebeca García-Varela1, Oscar Raúl Fajardo Ramírez2, Sergio O Serna-Saldivar3, Julio Altamirano4, Guy A Cardineau5. 1. Centro de Biotecnología FEMSA, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, C.P. 64849 Monterrey, NL, México; Centro de Agrobiotecnología, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, C.P. 64849 Monterrey, NL, México. 2. Centro de Innovación y Transferida en Salud, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Av. Morones Prieto No. 3000 Pte., Col. Los Doctores, C.P. 64710 Monterrey, NL, México. 3. Centro de Biotecnología FEMSA, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, C.P. 64849 Monterrey, NL, México; Instituto de Cardiología y Medicina Vascular, Escuela de Medicina, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Batallón San Patricio 112 Col. Valle de San Agustín CP 66278, San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, México. 4. Instituto de Cardiología y Medicina Vascular, Escuela de Medicina, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Batallón San Patricio 112 Col. Valle de San Agustín CP 66278, San Pedro Garza García, Nuevo León, México. 5. Centro de Biotecnología FEMSA, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, C.P. 64849 Monterrey, NL, México; Centro de Agrobiotecnología, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Campus Monterrey, Av. Eugenio Garza Sada 2501 Sur, C.P. 64849 Monterrey, NL, México. Electronic address: Guy.Cardineau@itesm.mx.
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional or folk medicine has led to the discovery of important bioactive substances used in several health-related areas. Phytochemicals in Rhoeo discolor (R. discolor) extracts have proven to have important cancer cell specific cytotoxic activity. In the present research, we determined the cytotoxic effect of extracts of R. discolor, a plant commonly used in Mexico for both medicinal and ornamental purposes. AIM OF THE STUDY: We evaluated the cytotoxic effects against three representative human cancer cell lines: HT-29 colon cancer, Hep-G2 liver cancer and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines, as well as a control fibroblast cell line NIH 3T3. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten different crude extracts were tested along with fractions derived from the five most bioactive crude extracts. Analytical data, HPLC-MS-TOF, revealed a high content of phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins, ferulic, vanillic, chlorogenic and p-coumaric acid in the extracts. Phenolic compounds have previously been reported as health beneficial with antioxidant and potential cancer specific cytotoxic effects. RESULTS: Studies revealed that low concentrations of these crude bioactive extracts (10µg/ml) and their fractions (50µg/ml) were effective as cancer specific cytotoxic agents, since they caused a significant proliferation inhibition on cancer cell lines (up to 94.2% in HT-29, 92.9% in Hep-G2 and 61.8% in PC-3 of apoptosis induction) with little harm to the control cell line (no higher than 28.3% apoptosis induction), and, importantly, the most effective extracts were mainly water, methanol and ethanol based. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a diet containing these compounds may function as a medical aid or chemoprotective.
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Traditional or folk medicine has led to the discovery of important bioactive substances used in several health-related areas. Phytochemicals in Rhoeo discolor (R. discolor) extracts have proven to have important cancer cell specific cytotoxic activity. In the present research, we determined the cytotoxic effect of extracts of R. discolor, a plant commonly used in Mexico for both medicinal and ornamental purposes. AIM OF THE STUDY: We evaluated the cytotoxic effects against three representative humancancer cell lines: HT-29 colon cancer, Hep-G2 liver cancer and PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines, as well as a control fibroblast cell line NIH 3T3. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ten different crude extracts were tested along with fractions derived from the five most bioactive crude extracts. Analytical data, HPLC-MS-TOF, revealed a high content of phenolic compounds such as anthocyanins, ferulic, vanillic, chlorogenic and p-coumaric acid in the extracts. Phenolic compounds have previously been reported as health beneficial with antioxidant and potential cancer specific cytotoxic effects. RESULTS: Studies revealed that low concentrations of these crude bioactive extracts (10µg/ml) and their fractions (50µg/ml) were effective as cancer specific cytotoxic agents, since they caused a significant proliferation inhibition on cancer cell lines (up to 94.2% in HT-29, 92.9% in Hep-G2 and 61.8% in PC-3 of apoptosis induction) with little harm to the control cell line (no higher than 28.3% apoptosis induction), and, importantly, the most effective extracts were mainly water, methanol and ethanol based. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that a diet containing these compounds may function as a medical aid or chemoprotective.