Cytotoxic Activity on Colorectal Cancer Cells and Antioxidant Activity of Crude Extracts of Pi-Kad-Tri-Khan-Tha-Wart Remedy and Its Component

Abstract

Introduction: Pi-Kad-Tri-Khan-Tha-Wart (PK) is a Thai traditional remedy utilizing for gastrointestinal tract disorder such as nausea vomiting stomachache. It consists of three medicinal plants. Two ingredients of the remedy, nutmeg (seed of Myristica fragrans Houtt., MF) and clove (flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum (L.) Merr. & L.M. Perry., SA), had anti-inflammation, antioxidation and cytotoxic property against breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Fruit of Amomum xanthioides Wall. (AX) had cytotoxicity against ovarian cancer cells (SK-OV-3) and malignant melanoma cells (SK-MEL-2). This study investigated the cytotoxicity against colorectal cancer cells and antioxidant of the Pi-Kad-Tri-Khan-Tha-Wart remedy and its components.

Methods: The remedy and each plant ingredient were extracted using into 2 methods by 95% ethanol maceration and aqueous decoction. We investigated cytotoxic activity against colorectal adenocarcinoma cells (SW480) and normal keratinocyte cells (HaCaT) using SRB assay and the antioxidant activity by DPPH assay.

Results: PKE and PKA exerted antioxidant activity higher than positive control, BHT with EC₅₀ value of 17.03 ± 10.29 µg/ml and 9.22 ± 1.51 µg/ml, respectively. SAA exerted the highest antioxidant activity with EC₅₀ value of 5.29 ± 0.36 µg/ml. Both PK extracts did not show cytotoxic activity. MFE and SAA had the cytotoxic activity against SW480 cells by IC₅₀ of 36.13 ± 2.87 µg/ml and 40.08 ± 1.24 µg/ml, respectively.SAE had cytotoxicity against HaCaT cells with IC₅₀ = 39.55 ± 2.85 µg/ml.

Conclusions: PKE and PKA had no inhibitory effect on colorectal cancer cells but they exerted high antioxidant activity. SAA exerted the highest antioxidant among others. MFE and SAA exerted inhibitory effect on the cell growth of the tested cancer cells. MFE also showed cytotoxicity against the HaCaT normal cells.