Isolation and Characterization of a Flavonoid and a Neolignan from Silybum marianum: In‐vitro Cytotoxic Evaluation

Abstract

Silybum marianum, a remarkable medicinal plant displays multifarious medicinal properties including anticancer, hepatoprotective, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, anti‐inflammatory, neuroprotective, antibacterial and cosmeceutical properties. The promising antiproliferative potential of S. marianum demands further exploitation of bioactive compounds responsible for its medicinal properties. In the current study, Silybin B and (±)‐trans‐dehydrodiferulate dimethyl ester were isolated from S. marianum and characterized by NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The antiproliferative activity of isolated compounds was investigated by sulforhodamine B assay against HeLa, HepG2 and BHK21 cell lines. Flow cytometery, DAPI, reactive oxygen species accumulation and comet assays were performed to validate the cytotoxic effect of potent compounds. Silybin B was more potent anticancer agent with an IC50 value of 23.85±5.98 μg/mL and 21.07±4.16 μg/mL against HeLa and HepG2 cell lines, respectively. The findings of all assays confirmed its apoptotic, cytotoxic and genotoxic effects on HeLa cells.