In vitro cytotoxic effects of chemical constituents of Euphorbia grandicornis Blanc against breast cancer cells

Douglas Kemboi Magozwi; Xolani Peter; Moses K. Langat; Richwell Mhlanga; Nyeleti Vukea; Jo-Anne de la Mare; Xavier Siwe-Noundou; Rui W.M. Krause; Vuyelwa Jacqueline Tembu

Scientific African (Nov 2021)

In vitro cytotoxic effects of chemical constituents of Euphorbia grandicornis Blanc against breast cancer cells

Douglas Kemboi Magozwi,
Xolani Peter,
Moses K. Langat,
Richwell Mhlanga,
Nyeleti Vukea,
Jo-Anne de la Mare,
Xavier Siwe-Noundou,
Rui W.M. Krause,
Vuyelwa Jacqueline Tembu

Affiliations

Douglas Kemboi Magozwi: Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit, Rhodes University, South Africa; Department of Chemistry, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Xolani Peter: Defense Peace Safety and Security, Center for Science Innovation and Research (CSIR), Pretoria 0001, South Africa
Moses K. Langat: Science Department, Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond TW9 3DS, UK
Richwell Mhlanga: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit, Rhodes University, South Africa
Nyeleti Vukea: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit, Rhodes University, South Africa
Jo-Anne de la Mare: Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedical Biotechnology Research Unit, Rhodes University, South Africa; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.
Xavier Siwe-Noundou: Department of Chemistry, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
Rui W.M. Krause: Department of Chemistry, Rhodes University, Grahamstown 6140, South Africa
Vuyelwa Jacqueline Tembu: Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa; Corresponding authors at: Department of Chemistry, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria 0001, South Africa.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 14
p. e01002

Abstract

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Euphorbia grandicornis Blanc is widely utilized in traditional medicine for a variety of ailments including body pains associated with skin irritations, inflammation, and snake or scorpion bites. Compounds from E. grandicornis were characterized using spectroscopic techniques, NMR, IR, MS, and melting points and alongside the extracts were evaluated for in vitro anticancer activity against several cancer cell lines. The root extract afforded known, β-glutinol (1), β-amyrin (2), 24-methylenetirucalla-8-en-3β-ol (3), tirucalla-8,25-diene-3β,24R-diol (4), stigmasterol (5), sitosterol (6), and hexyl (E)-3-(4‑hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoate (7) based on their NMR spectroscopic data for the first report in E. grandicornis. The extracts and isolated compounds were evaluated for anticancer activities against hormone receptor-positive breast cancer (MCF-7), triple-negative breast cancer (HCC70), and non-tumorigenic mammary epithelial (MCF-12A) cell lines. The CH2Cl2 extract exhibited potent, cytotoxicity against MCF-7, HCC70, and MCF-12A cells. The aerial extract exhibited IC50 values of 1.03, 0.301, and 1.68 µg/mL, and root extract displayed IC50 values of 0.83, 0.83 and 3.98 µg/mL against MCF-7, HCC70, and MCF-12A cells, respectively. The root extract thus showed selectivity for the cancer cell lines over the non-cancerous control cell line (SI = 4.80). Hexyl (E)-3-(4‑hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2-propenoate (7) showed significant activity with IC50 values of 23.41, 29.45 and 27.01 µM against MCF-7, HCC70 and MCF-12A cells, respectively, suggesting non-specific cytotoxicity.

Published in Scientific African

ISSN: 2468-2276 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/scientific-african

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