Standardization of the ethanolic extract of Crinum latifolium leaves by two bioactive markers with antiproliferative activity against TGF-β-promoted prostate stromal cells (WPMY-1)

BACKGROUND: Crinum latifolium L. (Amaryllidaceae) has been used in Southeast Asian traditional medicine to alleviate the symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). The pathological mechanism of BPH is associated with the induction of prostate stromal cell proliferation through transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β). Standardization as well as investigation of the potential anti-BPH activity of C. latifolium extract could benefit the further development of BPH-related analyses and provide evidence to support the application of this extract for BPH treatment. This study aimed to standardize and investigate the antiproliferative activity of the ethanolic extract of C. latifolium leaves. The major alkaloids isolated from C. latifolium were also explored for their potential use as bioactive markers. METHODS: Two major alkaloids were isolated from the ethanolic extract of C. latifolium leaves by chromatographic techniques, identified by NMR and MS, and quantified by a validated UHPLC method. Their antiproliferative activity was studied in human prostate stromal cells (WPMY-1) induced by TGF-β. The synergistic effect of combining the two major isolated alkaloids was analyzed by the zero interaction potency (ZIP) model. RESULTS: Two alkaloids, lycorine (1) and 6α-hydroxybuphanidrine (2), were isolated from the ethanolic leaf extract of C. latifolium. A UHPLC method for the quantification of (1) and (2) was developed and validated in terms of linearity, precision, and accuracy. The C. latifolium leaf extract contained 0.279 ± 0.003% (1) and 0.232 ± 0.004% (2). The crude extract was more potent than either (1) and (2) alone against TGF-β-treated WPMY-1 cell proliferation. The drug combination study revealed that the greatest synergistic effect of (1) and (2) was achieved at a 1:1 ratio. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study support the anti-BPH activity of C. latifolium in traditional medicine and suggest that these the two isolated alkaloids may promote the efficacy of the C. latifolium extract. Additionally, major alkaloids (1) and (2) can be used as bioactive markers for the standardization of C. latifolium extracts. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12906-022-03617-x.