Comparative Evaluation of Aqueous, Methanolic, and Ethanolic Extracts of Clinopodium vulgare L. subsp. vulgare: Anticancer and Antimicrobial Properties

Öz

Clinopodium vulgare L. subsp. vulgare (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant rich in bioactive phytochemicals with potential therapeutic properties. The present study aimed to comparatively evaluate the anticancer and antimicrobial activities of aqueous, methanolic, and ethanolic extracts of C. vulgare L. subsp. vulgare. Antiproliferative effects were investigated on PC-3 prostate cancer cells using the WST-1 assay, while morphological alterations were assessed by inverted microscopy. The mechanisms of apoptosis have been elucidated by measuring caspase-3, -8, and -9 protein levels using the ELISA method. In addition, antimicrobial activity was determined against a broad panel of bacterial and yeast strains using the disk diffusion method. All extracts significantly inhibited PC-3 cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Among the tested extracts, the ethanolic extract exhibited the lowest IC50 values and the highest antiproliferative activity. Morphological analysis of PC-3 cells treated with 200 µg/mL extracts revealed characteristic apoptotic features, whereas HUVEC cells showed comparatively milder morphological alterations, indicating selective cytotoxicity toward cancer cells. Caspase-3, -8, and -9 levels were significantly elevated in treated PC-3 cells, suggesting activation of both intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways. Furthermore, the extracts demonstrated moderate antimicrobial activity, with inhibition zones ranging from 8.2 to 15.8 mm, and the ethanolic extract showing the strongest antibacterial and antifungal effects. Overall, the findings indicate that C. vulgare L. subsp. vulgare extracts, particularly the ethanolic fraction, possess multifunctional bioactive properties characterized by selective antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic, and moderate antimicrobial activities, supporting their potential as a natural source of therapeutic agents.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Medicinal plant
• prostate cancer
• antibacterial
• antifungal

Clinopodium vulgare L. subsp. vulgare' nin Sulu, Metanolik ve Etanolik Ekstraktlarının Karşılaştırmalı Değerlendirmesi: Antikanser ve Antimikrobiyal Özellikler

Öz

Clinopodium vulgare L. subsp. vulgare (Lamiaceae), potansiyel terapötik özelliklere sahip biyoaktif fitokimyasallar açısından zengin bir tıbbi bitkidir. Bu çalışma, C. vulgare L. subsp. vulgare'nin sulu, metanolik ve etanolik özütlerinin antikanser ve antimikrobiyal aktivitelerini karşılaştırmalı olarak değerlendirmeyi amaçlamıştır. Antiproliferatif etkiler, WST-1 testi kullanılarak PC-3 prostat kanseri hücreleri üzerinde araştırılırken, morfolojik değişiklikler invert mikroskopi ile değerlendirilmiştir. Apoptotik mekanizmalar, ELISA yöntemi kullanılarak kaspaz-3, -8 ve -9 protein seviyelerinin araştırılması ile aydınlatılmıştır. Ek olarak, antimikrobiyal aktivite, disk difüzyon yöntemi kullanılarak geniş bir bakteri ve maya suşu paneline karşı belirlenmiştir. Tüm özütler, doz ve zamana bağlı olarak PC-3 hücre proliferasyonunu önemli ölçüde inhibe etmiştir. Test edilen özütler arasında, etanolik özüt en düşük IC50 değerlerini ve en yüksek antiproliferatif aktiviteyi göstermiştir. 200 µg/mL ekstraktlarla muamele edilen PC-3 hücrelerinin morfolojik analizi, karakteristik apoptotik özellikler ortaya koyarken, HUVEC hücreleri nispeten daha hafif morfolojik değişiklikler gösterdi; bu da kanser hücrelerine karşı seçici sitotoksisiteye işaret etmektedir. Ekstraklar ile muamele edilen PC-3 hücrelerinde kaspaz-3, -8 ve -9 seviyeleri önemli ölçüde yükselmiş olup, hem içsel hem de dışsal apoptotik yolların aktivasyonunu düşündürmektedir. Ayrıca, ekstraktlar 8,2 ila 15,8 mm arasında değişen inhibisyon bölgeleriyle orta düzeyde antimikrobiyal aktivite göstermiş ve etanolik ekstrakt en güçlü antibakteriyel ve antifungal etkileri sergilemiştir. Genel olarak, bulgular, özellikle etanolik fraksiyon olmak üzere C. vulgare L. subsp. vulgare ekstraktlarının, seçici antiproliferatif, pro-apoptotik ve orta düzeyde antimikrobiyal aktivitelerle karakterize edilen çok fonksiyonlu biyoaktif özelliklere sahip olduğunu ve doğal bir terapötik ajan kaynağı olarak potansiyellerini desteklediğini göstermektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Tıbbi bitki
• prostat kanseri
• antibakteriyel
• antifungal

Kaynakça

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