Phytochemical analysis, antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of Chrozophora tinctoria: a natural dye plant.
BACKGROUND
Chrozophora tinctoria (L.) A. Juss. (Euphorbiaceae) is known as 'dyer's-croton' and used to obtain dye substances. Recently, natural antioxidants and colorants have been of interest because of their safety and therapeutic effects.


OBJECTIVE
This study investigates the antiproliferative and antioxidant activities of the various extracts and fractions from C. tinctoria and analyzes their phytochemical contents.


METHODS
The aerial parts of C. tinctoria were extracted with water, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and methanol/chloroform. Phenolic compounds and other constituents of the extracts were analyzed by HPLC/TOF-MS. The ethyl acetate extract (EA) was fractionated by flash chromatography. The extracts, fractions, and major phenolic compounds were investigated for their antiproliferative activities on human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cell line at the concentrations of 5-100 μg/mL by using BrdU ELISA assay during 24 h of incubation. DPPH radical scavenging activities (5-150 μg/mL) and total phenolic contents of the samples were also evaluated.


RESULTS
4-Hydroxybenzoic acid (268.20 mg/kg), apigenin-7-glucoside (133.34 mg/kg), and gallic acid (68.92 mg/kg) were the major components of EA. CT/E-F6 (IC50= 64.59 ± 0.01 μg/mL) exhibited the highest antiproliferative activity. CT/E-F2 (IC50= 14.0 ± 0.0 μg/mL) and some fractions displayed higher radical scavenging activity compared to synthetic antioxidant BHT (IC50=23.1 ± 0.0 μg/mL). Among the main phenolics, gallic acid exhibited the highest antiproliferative and radical scavenging abilities (IC50<5 μg/mL).


CONCLUSIONS
In this study, we have determined the biologically active fractions and their high effects may be attributed to the presence of gallic acid.
a Department of Biology, Faculty of Science , Gazi University , Ankara , Turkey.
Feyza
F
Oke-Altuntas
b Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Cankiri Karatekin University , Cankiri , Turkey.
Selma
S
Ipekcioglu
b Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Cankiri Karatekin University , Cankiri , Turkey.
Ayse
A
Sahin Yaglioglu
c Department of Biology , Faculty of Science Bingol University , Bingol , Turkey.
Lutfi
L
Behcet
b Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science , Cankiri Karatekin University , Cankiri , Turkey.
Ibrahim
I
Demirtas
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D019665:Euphorbiaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D005707:Gallic Acid / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology; D006367:HeLa Cells; D006801:Humans; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D064209:Phytochemicals / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010851:Picrates / Q000737:chemistry; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D012997:Solvents / Q000737:chemistry; D002583:Uterine Cervical Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D001713:Biphenyl Compounds; D064209:Phytochemicals; D010851:Picrates; D010936:Plant Extracts; D012997:Solvents; D005707:Gallic Acid; C004931:1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
BrdU ELISA; HPLC/TOF-MS; HeLa; dyer’s croton; radical scavenging