Exploring the anti-cancer potential of Ixora extracts: A multi-cell line approach

Abstract

Bioactive anticancer compounds like alkaloid camptothecin and flavonoids rutin, quercetin and kaempferol have been isolated from Ixora coccinea. Being commercially important, research towards finding more plants with anticancer compounds belonging to genus Ixora is on the forefront. Anti cell proliferative potential of ethanolic plant part extracts of I. pavetta, I. barbata, I. javanica and I. undulata were studied against three cancer cell lines namely, Human leukemia cancer cell line K-562, Human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and Human lung cancer cell line A-549 using SRB assay. The result of anti-cell proliferative activity is further correlated with the total flavonoid content of aerial parts and total alkaloid content of underground parts of plants estimated by spectrophotometric assay. The root extract of I. javanica exhibited the best results with GI50 values of <10 µg/ml against all the three cancer cell lines studied. Interestingly, the total alkaloid content was also highest in roots of I. javanica possibly pointing some novel alkaloid to be responsible for its strong anti-cell proliferative activity. Bark extracts of I. javanica, I. pavetta and I. barbata also exhibited GI50 values of <10 µg/ml specifically against one of the cell lines studied namely - Human leukemia cancer cell line K-562. All three barks mentioned above also showed higher levels of total alkaloids. This is the first study reporting the anti-cell proliferative potential of root and bark extracts of I. javanica and I. barbata. These plants possess in their roots and bark some alkaloids with strong anti-cell proliferative activity which needs further investigation.

Keywords

• Ixora species
• flavonoid content
• alkaloid content
• K-562 cell line
• MDA-MB-231 cell line
• A-549 cell line
• anti-cell proliferative
• SRB assay

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