Cytotoxic activity of physodic acid and acetone extract fromHypogymnia physodesagainst breast cancer cell lines

Abstract

Context: Lichens produce specific secondary metabolites with different biological activity. Objective: This study investigated the cytotoxic effects of physodic acid, in addition to the total phenolic content and cytotoxic and antioxidant activity of acetone extract from Hypogymnia physodes (L.) Nyl. (Parmeliaceae). Materials and methods: Cytotoxicity of physodic acid (0.1-100 lM) was assessed in MDA-MB-231, MCF-7 and T-47D breast cancer cell lines and a nontumorigenic MCF-10A cell line using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, neutral red uptake and crystal violet assays during 72 h of incubation. An MTT assay was also used to assess the cytotoxic effects of the acetone extract (0.1-100 lg/mL) in the MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, T-47D breast cancer cell lines after 72 h. The total phenolic content of the acetone extract, expressed as the gallic acid equivalent, was investigated using Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. The antioxidant activity of the extract was assessed by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and ferric-reducing antioxidant power assays. Results: The cytotoxic activity of physodic acid appeared to be strong in the tumorigenic cell lines (IC 50 46.0-93.9 lM). The compound was inactive against the nontumorigenic MCF-10A cell line (IC 50 >100 lM). The acetone extract showed cytotoxicity in the breast cancer cell lines (IC 50 46.2-110.4 lg/mL).

Anticancer Potential of Lichens’ Secondary Metabolites

“…Similarly, PA (isolated from Hypogymnia physodes) demonstrated the most significant cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cells followed by T47D and MDA-MB-231 cells. The viability of MCF-10A cells was not changed even at concentration of PA higher than 100 µM [24].…”

“…Lichens as well as lichen secondary metabolites, also known as lichen acids, exert important abilities in the protection against carcinogenesis [23], which is due to their antioxidant, cytotoxic, pro-apoptotic, anti-proliferative, anti-migrative, anti-invasive, and overall anti-tumorigenic abilities [21,[23][24][25].…”

“…Antioxidant action of most lichens is associated with the phenolic compounds, which exhibit high free radical scavenging ability [21,23]. Lichens prevent mutagenesis and/or carcinogenesis by inhibiting oxidation of cellular macromolecules [24]. Consequently, the protective effects of lichens or their metabolites against oxidative damage can be determined through the monitoring of oxidative stress markers such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) or malodialdehyde (MDA) [26].…”

Polyphenols as Promising Drugs against Main Breast Cancer Signatures

“…Potential benefits of their dietary intake on human health and, more specifically, on cancer risk (including breast cancer) have been also reviewed [ 48 , 49 ]. Specifically, for breast cancer, interesting results have been obtained with a mixture of tea extract and quercetin [ 50 ], with Pinus radiata [ 51 ], Indian lotus [ 52 ], Hypogymnia physodes lichen [ 53 ], Morinda citrifolia [ 54 ] or with olive leaf extracts [ 55 , 56 , 57 , 58 ], among others.…”

Study on determination of bioactive potentials of certain lichens

“…There is today a growing interest in new bioactive natural products for the prevention and treatment of various diseases (MORIANO et al, 2015). Lichens produce secondary metabolites such as depsides, depsidones, quinones, xanthones, dibenzofuran, diketopiperazine, and pulvinic acid (STUDZIŃSKA-SROKA et al, 2016). Among the lichen species we used in our study, Bryoria fuscescens contains fumaroprotocetraric acid, atranorin, and psoromic acids.…”