Cytotoxic activity of antioxidant constituents from Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra

Abstract

The Sulforodamine B (SRB) assay was used to test cytotoxicity against four human cancer cell lines and one normal cell line of antioxidant constituents isolated from Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra. Methanolic extract and pure compounds were tested against the large cell lung carcinoma cell line COR-L23, the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG-2, renal cell adenocarcinoma ACHN, the amelanotic melanoma cell line C32 and normal human foetal lung MRC5. The results showed that I3-II8-biapigenin exhibited strong cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀ = 5.73 µg mL⁻¹) showing a certain degree of selectivity against the different cell types.

Keywords:

• Hypericum triquetrifolium Turra
• Cytotoxicity
• Flavonoids
• C32 cells

Acknowledgement

The authors are grateful to Dr Virgina Filippelli, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Calabria, for the English revision of the manuscript.