CYTOTOXIC AND APOPTOSIS-INDUCING EFFECTS OF LONCHOCARPUS SERICEUS ROOT EXTRACTS: TOWARD SUSTAINABLE THERAPEUTICS FOR TRIPLE-NEGATIVE BREAST CANCER.

Abstract

This study evaluated the cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing effects of Lonchocarpus sericeus root extracts on selected triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell lines. The increasing resistance of TNBC to conventional therapies necessitates the exploration of alternative treatment options, particularly those derived from natural sources. Root extracts obtained using methanol and ethyl acetate were assessed through brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLT), MTT cell viability assay, TUNEL apoptosis assay, and caspase-3 activation analysis.The methanol extract exhibited higher biological activity, with a lower LC₅₀ value of 57.86 µg/mL compared to the ethyl acetate extract (83.26 µg/mL), indicating stronger cytotoxic potential. In vitro cytotoxic evaluation against breast cancer cell lines including MCF7 (luminal A breast adenocarcinoma), Hs578T (triple-negative breast carcinoma), SkBr3 (HER2-positive breast adenocarcinoma), and MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative breast adenocarcinoma) demonstrated dose-dependent growth inhibition. The methanol extract produced IC₅₀ values ranging from 69.1–88.4 µg/mL, comparable to etoposide (68.0–78.0 µg/mL). TUNEL assay results revealed significant DNA fragmentation, while caspase-3 activation confirmed apoptosis through caspase-dependent pathways. Although both extracts demonstrated biological activity, the methanol extract showed comparatively stronger cytotoxic effects in the MTT and caspase-3 assays. However, the ethyl acetate extract poses higher apoptotic percentages in selected TUNEL assay results, indicating possible differences in phytochemical composition and mechanisms of action. These findings suggest that L. sericeus possesses promising anticancer potential and may serve as a source of bioactive compounds for sustainable plant-based therapeutic development.