Cytotoxicity Studies of the Extracts, Fractions, and Isolated Compound of Pseudocedrela kotschyi on Cervical Cancer (HeLa), Breast Cancer (MCF‑7) and Skeletal Muscle Cancer (RD) Cells

Background: This study determined the cytotoxic effects of root and stem bark extracts, fractions, and isolated compounds derived from Pseudocedrela kotschyi on HeLa, MCF-7, and RD cells. Materials and Methods: The cytotoxic activity was determined using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay against three cell lines (RD, HeLa, and MCF 7) at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 1000 μg/mL. Isolation of crude saponin was done from the most active ethyl acetate fraction and further purified using vacuum liquid chromatography and preparative thin layer chromatographic techniques. Results: The cytotoxicity assay revealed that the methanol extract from the root bark and the ethyl acetate fraction from the stem bark exhibited marked anticancer activity with IC₅₀ of 87.36 μg/ml and 21.53 μg/ml, respectively, on HeLa cancer cell line and 101.51 μg/mL and 38.46 μg/mL, respectively, on RD cell line. These values are comparable with that obtained from vinblastine and methotrexate used as standard drugs (IC₅₀ values of 0.01 μg/mL and 0.05 μg/mL, respectively). The isolated crude saponins also gave IC₅₀ values of 5.28 μg/mL and 81.52 μg/mL against the RD cell lines and IC₅₀ values of 1.05 μg/mL and 86.8 μg/mL for the MCF 7 cancer cell lines. PTLC led to the isolation of a compound from the crude saponin which was identified as 7-deacetoxy-7-oxogedunin through spectroscopic analysis and comparison with literature data. Conclusions: P. kotschyi could be considered as a potential source of chemotherapeutic agent. However, further research to determine the exact mechanism of action needs to be carried out.