Micropropagation and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory and anti-arthritic agent boswellic acid production in callus cultures of Boswellia serrata Roxb

Phytochemical Profiles and Cytotoxic Activity of Bursera fagaroides (Kunth) Engl. Leaves and Its Callus Culture

Bursera fagaroides, popularly used in México, possesses bioactive lignans. These compounds are low in the bark, and its extraction endangers the life of the trees. The aim of the present investigation was to search for alternative sources of cytotoxic compounds in B. fagaroides prepared as leaves and in vitro callus cultures. The friable callus of B. fagaroides was established using a combination of plant growth regulators: 4 mgL-1 of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 1 mgL-1 Naphthaleneacetic Acid (NAA) and 1 mgL-1 Zeatin. The maximum cell growth was at day 28 with a specific growth rate of μ = 0.059 days-1 and duplication time td = 11.8 days. HPLC quantification of the dichloromethane callus biomass extract showed that Scopoletin, with a concentration of 10.7 µg g-1 dry weight, was the main compound inducible as a phytoalexin by the addition of high concentrations of 2,4-D, as well as by the absence of nutrients in the culture medium. In this same extract, the compounds γ-sitosterol and stigmasterol were also identified by GC-MS analysis. Open column chromatography was used to separate and identify yatein, acetyl podophyllotoxin and 7',8'-dehydropodophyllotoxin in the leaves of the wild plant. Cytotoxic activity on four cancer cell lines was tested, with PC-3 prostate carcinoma (IC50 of 12.6 ± 4.6 µgmL-1) being the most sensitive to the wild-type plant extract and HeLa cervical carcinoma (IC50 of 72 ± 5 µgmL-1) being the most sensitive to the callus culture extract.

Cytotoxic activity, selectivity, and clonogenicity of fruits and resins of Saudi medicinal plants against human liver adenocarcinoma

Background

Edible fruits and resins provide various benefits to mankind including potential medicinal applications. This study aimed to determine the cytotoxicity, selectivity, and clonogenicity of fruits and exudates of certain Saudi medicinal plants (Anethum graveolens (BEP-09), Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Miller (BEP-10), Boswellia serrata Roxb. ex Colebr. (BEP-11), and Commiphora myrrha (BEP-12)) against human liver adenocarcinoma (HepG2).

Methods

Initial cytotoxicity and cell line selectivity against different cell lines were screened using MTT assay. The most promising extract was subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis to determine the main phytoconstituents. Clonogenicity was checked for the most active extract.

Results

The selected plants' fruits and resins possess a significant cytotoxic activity estimated as IC50. The fruit of BEP-10 was found to be the most active extract against liver cancer cells (IC50 = 2.82) comparable to both doxorubicin (IC50 = 1.40) and camptothecin (IC50 = 1.11). It showed a selectivity index of 4.47 compared to the normal human foetal lung fibroblast (MRC5) cells. BEP-10 showed a dose-dependent clonogenic effect against HepG2 cells comparable to the effect of doxorubicin. The GC-MS chromatogram of BEP-10 extract revealed the presence of eight small polar molecules, representing 73% of the total identified compounds and the rest three molecules (27%) were non-polar constituents. The furan derivatives represent the chief components in BEP-10 (16.3%), while the aldehyde 5-(hydroxymethyl)-2-furancarboxaldehyde was found to be the main molecule (13.2%).

Conclusion

The fruits of BEP-10 have a potential cytotoxic effect particularly against HepG2. The identified phytoconstituents in the tested plant extract might contribute to the investigated cytotoxic activity.

Secondary Metabolites Profiling, Antimicrobial and Cytotoxic Properties of Commiphora gileadensis L. Leaves, Seeds, Callus, and Cell Suspension Extracts

Commiphora gileadensis L. is an important endangered medicinal plant that belongs to the family Burseraceae. In this study, C. gileadensis callus culture was established successfully using mature leaves as explants cultured on Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with 24.50 μM of indole butyric acid (IBA) and 2.22 μM 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP) (callus induction media). The obtained callus was maintained on MS medium supplemented with 16.11 μM naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) in combination with 6.66 μM BAP, which resulted in a substantial increase in callus fresh and dry weights. The cell suspension culture was established successfully using liquid callus induction media supplemented with 3.0 mg·L^-1 proline. Thereafter, the chemical constituents of different C. gileadensis methanolic extracts (callus, cell suspension, leaves, and seeds) were profiled, and their cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties were investigated. The LC-MS GNPS analyses were applied for chemical profiling of the methanolic plant extracts, and several natural products were identified, including flavonols, flavanones, and flavonoids glycosides, with two unusual families that included puromycin, 10-hydroxycamptothecin, and justicidin B. The methanolic extracts have shown selective antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties against different microbes and cancer cell lines. For instance, leaf extract showed the highest zone of inhibition for Staphylococcus aureus, while cell suspension culture was effective against Staphylococcus epidermidis and Staphylococcus aureus. All extracts showed selective activity against A549 cell lines for the cytotoxicity assay, while the leaf extract had a broad cytotoxic effect against all tested cell lines. This study revealed that C. gileadensis callus and cell suspension cultures can be employed to increase the in vitro formation of biologically active compounds that may have cytotoxicity and antibacterial action against different cancer cell lines and bacterial species. Further studies are required to isolate and identify such constituents that corroborate the observed activities.

In vitro propagation and cell cultures of memory tonic herb Evolvulus alsinoides: a best source for elicited production of scopoletin

Evolvulus alsinoides L. is used for preparation of 'Shankhapushpi', an important popular ayurvedic drug that contributes considerably to the improvement of memory power. The improvement is attributed to the presence of furanocoumarin scopoletin, a metabolite with a wide range of biological activities. This report describes, for the first time, an in vitro culture system for propagation and enhanced production of scopoletin. Different concentrations of auxins and cytokinins individually and in combination were used in Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium to induce shoot regeneration in cotyledonary nodal explants and callus formation in leaf explants. The best response was achieved in MS medium fortified with 5.0 μM 6-benzyladenine (BA) in which 96 % of cultures produced 7.6 ± 0.6 shoots per explant. Regenerated shoots were rooted on MS medium with 5.0 μM indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Plantlets were successfully acclimatized and established in soil. MS medium fortified with 10 μM BA + 5.0 μM IAA showed maximum growth and accumulation of scopoletin in cell cultures. Cell cultures could be maintained over 24 months. The influences of auxins, cytokinins, organic acids, amino acids, and fungal-derived elicitors on production of scopoletin were studied. Presence of either L-arginine, sodium pyruvate, or yeast extract highly promoted scopoletin production as compared with control and achieved 75.02-, 72.13-, and 57.98-fold higher accumulation, respectively. The results presented herein have laid solid foundation for large-scale production of scopoletin and further investigation of its purification and utilization as a novel pharmaceutical drug.