Chemical characterization and in vitro anticancer effect of Asplenium aethiopicum (Burm. f.) Becherer

• Published in: South African journal of botany Vol. 154; pp. 372 - 379
• Main Authors: alias Antonysamy, Johnson Marimuthu, Janarthanan, Gowtham, Rocha, Janaina Esmeraldo, de Almeida, Ray Silva, de Vasconcelos, John Eversong Lucena, dos Santos, Francisco Antonio Vieira, de Farias, Pablo Antonio Maia, Coutinho, Henrique D.M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-03-2023
• Subjects: Anticancer; Asplenium aethiopicum; FT-IR; GC-MS; Phytoconstituents; GC-MS; FT-IR; Asplenium aethiopicum; Anticancer; Phytoconstituents
• ISSN: 0254-6299; 1727-9321
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sajb.2023.01.035

•Soxhlet mediated extraction was performed using petroleum ether, chloroform, acetone, ethanol and aqueous solvents.•The chemical profile of A. aethiopicum revealed using UV–Vis, FT-IR and GC-MS analysis.•FT-IR analysis of A. aethiopicum confirmed the presence of alkanes, esters, primary amines, alkyl halides, aliphatic amines, carboxylic acids and secondary amines.
Ferns and fern allies, well know for their ornamental value, also have medicinal properties. Previous studies on Asplenium aethiopicum (Burm. f.) Becherer determined its antioxidant, larvicidal and cytotoxic potential using brine shrimp biolethality assay. The present study aimed to reveal the chemical constituents and anticancer properties of Asplenium aethiopicum (Burm. f.) Becherer using A549 (lung adenocarcinoma) and African Green Monkey Kidney cell lines. The preliminary phytochemical, UV–Vis, FT-IR analyses were performed using various extracts of A. aethiopicum. The GC-MS and anticancer activity analyses were performed using the ethanolic extracts of A. aethiopicum. Anticancer potential of A. aethiopicum ethanolic extracts on both A549 (lung adenocarcinoma) and African Green Monkey Kidney cells was determined by the 3-[4,5-ethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide assay. Asplenium aethiopicum acetone, ethanolic and aqueous extracts contained five metabolites. FT-IR analysis confirmed the presence of various functional groups in the A. aethiopicum ethanolic extracts. GC-MS analysis showed the presence of two major components viz., Bicyclo [4.1.0] heptan-2-one (13.92%) and Tridecane (10.50%). The A. aethiopicum ethanolic extracts showed anticancer activity against human A549 lung adenocarcinoma in a dose and time-dependent inhibitory effect. Anticancer activity of A. aethiopicum ethanolic extracts may be due to the presence of bioactive compounds viz., Bicyclo[4.1.0]heptan-2-one, Cyclohexanaone, 5-ethyl-4-(1-methylethenyl)-2-(1methylethylidene), cis-, 5,8,11-Eicosatriyonic acid, methyl ester, 1,5,5-Trimethyl-6-methylene-cyclohexane in the ethanolic extracts of A. aethiopicum. Further studies are needed to isolate the active principle responsible for anticancer activity.