Exploration of Antioxidant and Anticancer Activity of Stephania japonica Leaves Extract

Abstract

Aims: The demand for antioxidants from the natural source has drawn promising attention to outturn desired pharmacological effect by subsidizing the adverse effect for treating cancer. This study evaluated the antioxidant activity of Stephania japonica leaves extracts to explore the anticancer activity.    Methods: Antioxidant potential of crude extracts were evaluated using various methods which include total antioxidant activity, ferric reducing antioxidant assay, DPPH free radical, ABTS free radical, nitric oxide and superoxide anion radical scavenging assay. Anticancer activity was determined in vitro by MTT assay and in vivo on mice against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cell. Results: Phytoconstituents with free radical scavenging capacity were quantified in terms of inhibitory concentration (IC50) with the values of 17.00±3.22 µg/mL, 33.30 ± 5.45 µg/mL, 43.70±5.26 µg/mL and 52.30±1.07 µg/mL in DPPH, ABTS, superoxide anion radical and nitric oxide free radical scavenging assay, respectively as the highest quencher, acetone extract of S. japonica leaves (ASJL). ASJL and methanol extract (MSJL) showed low lethal dose (LD50) values of 21.76 and 26.63, respectively indicating higher toxicity.  In vitro anti-proliferative activity (MTT assay), ASJL and MSJL were exhibited 15.44±2.96 to 80.94±2.87 and 11.76±3.74 to 74.25±1.49 percent of cell growth inhibition, respectively at the concentration of 10.28 µg/mL to 833.33 µg/mL. In in vivo test, ASJL and MSJL at the dose of 100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day (i.p.) showed cell growth inhibition of 58.25±4.24% to 79.09±2.45% and 46.26±2.68% to 61.74±4.41%, respectively on EAC cell tumor-bearing mice. The life span of intraperitoneal induced EAC cell bearing mice was increased to 29.05% and 57.02% on the treatment of ASJL with 100 and 200 mg/kg/day, respectively. Conclusions: The free radical scavenger of S. japonica leaves extract was stimulated the host immunity and inhibited the EAC cell growth through initiating the apoptosis cell death program. Therefore, S. japonica leaves might be utilized as a potent anticancer natural source.