In vitro Assessment of Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Effects of Argemone mexicana and Prosopis cineraria Methanolic Extracts against Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Glioblastoma Cells

Objectives

The antioxidant and anti-proliferative properties of Argemone mexicana and Prosopis cineraria were investigated against Hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and glioblastoma (U87MG) cells.

Materials and Methods

Methanolic extracts of the plants were tested for their antioxidant activity using the DPPH and FRAP assays with ascorbic acid as a positive control. The phenolic and flavonoid content of both the plant extracts were evaluated. The anti-proliferative activity of hepatocellular carcinoma and glioblastoma cell lines were estimated by treating the cells with plant extracts by MTT assay.

Results

Ascorbic acid showcased the lowest IC₅₀ value at 32.61±4.10 µg/mL, followed by A. mexicana (84.02±2.46 µg/mL) and P. cineraria (212.65±4.77 µg/mL). Additionally, the FRAP assay revealed the presence of ascorbic acid in both plant extracts, with concentrations of 29.17±0.30 µmol AAE/g in A. mexicana and 19.83±0.55 µmol AAE/g in P. cineraria. The Total Phenolic Content (TPC) in the stem of Argemone mexicana was determined to be 30.44±3.73 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per gram, while that in the leaves of Prosopis cineraria was measured at 6.67±0.69 mg of GAE/g. Similarly, the total flavonoid content (TFC) in the stem of A. mexicana was quantified at 16.67±1.19 mg of Quercetin Equivalents (QE) per gram, contrasting with the TFC in the leaves of P. cineraria, which registered at 2.17±0.59 mg of QE/g. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay, showing a significant decrease in cell viability in both cell lines. The IC₅₀ concentrations were determined as 91.3±3.17 µg/mL and 78.43±4.16 µg/mL for A. mexicana and 261.43±35.16 µg/mL and 108.03±2.97 µg/mL for P. cineraria against HepG2 and U87MG cells, respectively.

Conclusion

These findings suggest the capacity of both plants as source of antioxidant and carcinostatic agents against hepatocellular carcinoma and glioblastoma.