Phytochemical Analysis and Profiling of Antitumor Compounds of Leaves and Stems of Calystegia silvatica (Kit.) Griseb.

Anti-tumor compounds from natural products are being investigated as possible alternatives for cancer chemotherapeutics that have serious adverse effects and tumor resistance. Calystegia silvatica was collected from the north coast of Egypt and extracted via methanol and n-hexane sub-fraction. The biologically active compounds of Calystegia silvatica were identified from the methanol and n-hexane extracts from the leaves and stems of the plant using GC-MS and HPLC. The antitumor properties of both parts of the plant were investigated against cancer and non-cancer cell lines using the MTT assay, and the IC(50) in comparison to doxorubicin was calculated. The main compounds identified in the methanol extract were cis-vaccenic acid and trans-13-octadecenoic acid in the leaves and stems, respectively, and phenyl undecane and 3,7,11,15 tetramethyl-2-hexadeca-1-ol in the n-hexane extracts of the leaves and stems, respectively. Both parts of the plant contained fatty acids that have potential antitumor properties. The methanol extract from the stems of C. silvatica showed antitumor properties against HeLa, with an IC(50) of 114 ± 5 μg/mL, PC3 with an IC(50) of 137 ± 18 μg/mL and MCF7 with an IC(50) of 172 ± 15 μg/mL, which were greater than Caco2, which had an IC(50) of 353 ± 19 μg/mL, and HepG2, which had an IC(50) of 236 ± 17 μg/mL. However, the leaf extract showed weak antitumor properties against all of the studied cancer cell lines (HeLa with an IC(50) of 208 ± 13 μg/mL, PC3 with an IC(50) of 336 ± 57 μg/mL, MCF7 with an IC(50) of 324 ± 17 μg/mL, Caco2 with an IC(50) of 682 ± 55 μg/mL and HepG2 with an IC(50) of 593 ± 22 μg/mL). Neither part of the plant extract showed any cytotoxicity to the normal cells (WI38). Therefore, C. silvatica stems may potentially be used for the treatment of cervical, prostate and breast cancer.