Abstract
Phragmanthera austroarabica
(Loranthaceae), a semi-parasitic plant, is well known for its high content of polyphenols that are responsible for its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Gallic acid, catechin, and methyl gallate are bioactive metabolites of common occurrence in the family of Loranthaceae. Herein, the concentrations of these bioactive metabolites were assessed using high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). Methyl gallate, catechin, and gallic acid were scanned at 280 nm. Their concentrations were assessed as 14.5, 6.5 and 43.6 mg/g of plant dry extract, respectively.
Phragmanthera austroarabica
extract as well as the three pure compounds were evaluated regarding the cytotoxic activity. The plant extract exhibited promising cytotoxic activity against MDA-MB-231 breast cells with the IC
50
value of 19.8 μg/mL while the tested pure compounds displayed IC
50
values in the range of 21.26–29.6 μg/mL. For apoptosis investigation,
P. austroarabica
induced apoptotic cell death by 111-fold change and necrosis by 9.31-fold change. It also activated the proapoptotic genes markers and inhibited the antiapoptotic gene, validating the apoptosis mechanism. Moreover, in vivo studies revealed a significant reduction in the breast tumor volume and weight in solid Ehrlich carcinoma (SEC) mice. The treatment of SEC mice with
P. austroarabica
extract improved both hematological and biochemical parameters with amelioration in the liver and kidney histopathology to near normal. Taken together,
P. austroarabica
extract exhibited promising anti-cancer activity through an apoptosis-induction.