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PM · Lens · Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Analysis and Cytotoxicity of Asparagus adscendens Roots against Human Cancer Cell Lines

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Article · Volume 13, Issue 52S · pp. S890–4

Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry Analysis and Cytotoxicity of Asparagus adscendens Roots against Human Cancer Cell Lines

Kashif Maqbool Khan1, Lutfun Nahar2, Abdul Mannan3, Muhammad Arfan4, Ghazanfar Ali Khan5, Afaf Al‑Groshi5, Andrew Evans5, Nicola M. Dempster5, Fyaz M. D. Ismail5, Satyajit D. Sarker5

  1. 1School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry and Natural Products Research Group, Liverpool John Moores University, England, UK.
  2. 2Department of Pharmacy, COMSATS Institute of Information Technology, Abbottabad, Pakistan.
  3. 3Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan.
  4. 4Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences, National University of Science and Technology, Islamabad, Pakistan.
  5. 5Department of Research and Development, Drug Regulatory Authority, Islamabad, Pakistan.

Abstract

Background: Asparagus adscendens Roxb. (Asparagaceae), is native to the Himalayas. This plant has been used in the prevention and effective treatment of various forms of cancers.Objective: This paper reports, for the first time, on the cytotoxicity of the methanol (MeOH) extract of the roots of A. adscendens and its solid‑phase extraction (SPE) fractions against four human carcinoma cell lines and LC‑ESI‑QTOF‑MS analysis of the SPE fractions.Materials and Methods: Finely powdered roots of A. adscendens were macerated in methanol and extracted through SPE using gradient solvent system (water: methanol) proceeded for analysis on LC‑ESI‑QTOF‑MS and cytotoxicity against four human carcinoma cell lines: breast (MCF7), liver (HEPG2), lung (A549), and urinary bladder (EJ138), using the 3‑(4,5‑dimethylthiazol‑2‑yl)‑2,5‑diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay.Results: The MeOH extract and four SPE fractions exhibited cytotoxicity against all cell lines with the IC50 values ranging from 6 to 79 µg/mL. As observed in other Asparagus species, the presence of saponins and sapogenins in the SPE fractions was evident in the liquid chromatography‑mass spectrometry data.Conclusion: It is reasonable to assume that the cytotoxicity of the MeOH extract of the roots of A. adscendens and its SPE fractions, at least partly, due to the presence of saponins and their aglycones. This suggests that A. adscendens could be exploited as a potential source of cytotoxic compounds with putative anticancer potential.

Keywords: 3‑(4,5‑dimethylthiazol‑2‑yl)‑2,5‑diphenyltetrazoliumbromide; asparagaceae; Asparagus adscendens; cancer; cytotoxicity; liquid chromatography‑mass spectrometry; sapogenins; saponin

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