Phytochemical Analysis and Anti-Cancer Properties of Extracts of <i>Centaurea castriferrei</i> Borbás & Waisb Genus of <i>Centaurea</i> L
Joanna Kubik,
Łukasz Waszak,
Grzegorz Adamczuk,
Ewelina Humeniuk,
Magdalena Iwan,
Kamila Adamczuk,
Mariola Michalczuk,
Agnieszka Korga-Plewko,
Aleksandra Józefczyk
Affiliations
Joanna Kubik
Independent Medical Biology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8b Jaczewski Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Łukasz Waszak
Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Grzegorz Adamczuk
Independent Medical Biology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8b Jaczewski Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Ewelina Humeniuk
Independent Medical Biology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8b Jaczewski Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Magdalena Iwan
Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Kamila Adamczuk
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Mariola Michalczuk
Independent Medical Biology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8b Jaczewski Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Agnieszka Korga-Plewko
Independent Medical Biology Unit, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 8b Jaczewski Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
Aleksandra Józefczyk
Department of Pharmacognosy with Medicinal Plant Laboratory, Faculty of Pharmacy, Medical University of Lublin, 1 Chodzki Street, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
The Centaurea L. (Asteraceae) genus includes many plant species with therapeutic properties. Centaurea castriferrei Borbás & Waisb is one of the least known and least described plants of this genus. The aim of the study was the phytochemical analysis of water and methanol–water extracts (7:3 v/v) obtained from the aerial parts of the plant as well as evaluation of their anticancer activity. Quantitative determinations of phenolic compounds and flavonoids were performed, and the antioxidant potential was measured using the CUPRAC method. The RP-HPLC/DAD analysis and HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS mass spectroscopy were performed, to determine the extracts’ composition. The antiproliferative activity of the obtained extracts was tested in thirteen cancer cell lines and normal skin fibroblasts using MTT test. Regardless of the extraction method and the extractant used, similar cytotoxicity of the extracts on most cancer cell lines was observed. However, the methanol–water extracts (7:3 v/v) contained significantly more phenolic compounds and flavonoids as well as showing stronger antioxidant properties in comparison to water extracts. Centaurea castriferrei Borbás & Waisb is a rich source of apigenin and its derivatives. In all tested extracts, chlorogenic acid and centaurein were also identified. In vitro research revealed that this plant may be a potential source of compounds with anticancer activity.