Antioxidant and antiproliferative effects of different solvent fractions from Terminalia belerica Roxb. fruit on various cancer cells.

Terminalia belerica Roxb. fruits have been previously reported against diabetes, ulcer, microbial problems and hepatotoxicity. The present study was aimed to investigate antioxidant and anticancer potential of sequentially fractionated hexane (TBHE), chloroform (TBCE), ethyl acetate (TBEE), butanol (TBBE) and water (TBWE) extracts from the 70% methanolic extract of T. belerica fruits. TBCE, TBEE, TBBE and TBWE showed excellent ROS (reactive oxygen species) and RNS (reactive nitrogen species) scavenging activities which was investigated using 11 different assays for various free radicals. Among 5 fractions, TBHE and TBCE remained nontoxic to any of the malignant cell lines including normal cells (WI-38). TBBE and TBWE inhibited the proliferation of breast (MCF-7), cervical (HeLa) and brain (U87) cancer cells by inducing G2/M arrest while TBEE caused apoptosis. However, these fractions did not inhibit the proliferation of lung (A549) and liver (HepG2) cancer cells. BrdU incorporation study also suggested the efficient anticancer potential of TBEE, TBBE and TBWE. Moreover, TBBE and TBWE treated MCF-7, HeLa and U87 cells showed upregulation of p53 and p21 proteins. Phytochemical analysis reflected the presence of adequate quantities of different phytochemicals. Moreover, HPLC analysis show peaks of purpurin, catechin, tannic acid, reserpine, ellagic acid, methyl gallate, aconitine and rutin in TBBE, TBWE and TBEE. Hence these polar extracts of T. belerica can be used to develop drug against different types of cancer.