Tropical Journal of Pharmaceutical Research

Original Research Article | OPEN ACCESS

Cytotoxicity of luteolin, a flavonoid compound isolated from Anthemis palestina

Yahia Z Tabaza¹ , Zuh-Kyung Seong¹, Young-Mi Kim², Walhan Alshaer³, Talal A Aburjai¹

¹Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan; ²College of Pharmacy and Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Seoul National University, 1, Gwanak-ro, Gwanak-gu, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea; ³Cell Therapy Center, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan.

For correspondence:- Yahia Tabaza Email: y.tabaza@ju.edu.jo Tel:+96265355000

Accepted: 3 January 2024 Published: 30 January 2024

Citation: Tabaza YZ, Seong Z, Kim Y, Alshaer W, Aburjai TA. Cytotoxicity of luteolin, a flavonoid compound isolated from Anthemis palestina. Trop J Pharm Res 2024; 23(1):77-83 doi: 10.4314/tjpr.v23i1.10

© 2024 The authors.
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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the active principle responsible for the cytotoxic effect of Anthemis palestina (Reut. ex Kotschy) Reut. ex Boiss. (Asteraceae).

Methods: A bioassay-guided fractionation was used to isolate the active principle, luteolin, which structure was elucidated using ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The cytotoxic effects of luteolin and doxorubicin (positive control) in the breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7, and in normal fibroblasts, were determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay.

Results: Luteolin was isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the aerial parts of Anthemis palestina. With an IC₅₀ value of 14.91 ± 5.77 µM for MDA-MB-231 cells, luteolin was less active than doxorubicin. However, with respect to MCF-7 cells, there was no significant difference in the cytotoxicity values of luteolin and doxorubicin, with IC₅₀ value of 29.28 ± 11.85 µM for luteolin. However, with an IC₅₀ value of 51.39 ± 18.51 µM against fibroblasts, luteolin was significantly safer than doxorubicin.

Conclusion: Luteolin might be responsible for the cytotoxicity of Anthemis palestina. The high level of luteolin cytotoxicity indicates the potential benefits of Anthemis palestina, not only in terms of its taste, but also for its likely positive therapeutic impact on cancer, especially breast cancer.

Keywords: Cancer, Breast cancer, Cytotoxicity, Anthemis palestina, Luteolin