In vitro cytotoxic activity of Salvia lerifolia Benth. extract and isolated constituents against a panel of human cancer cell lines

In the course of recent efforts to identify new potential antiproliferative active principles, Salvia leriifolia extracts and isolated constituents were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against a panel of human cancer cell lines, including renal adenocarcinoma (ACHN), amelanotic melanoma (C32), colorectal adenocarcinoma (Caco-2), lung large cell carcinoma (COR-L23), malignant melanoma (A375), lung carcinoma (A549), and hepatocellular carcinoma (Huh-7D12) cells. The hexane and CH2Cl2 extracts showed the strongest cytotoxic activity against the C32 cell line with IC50 values of 11.2 and 13.6 mg/ml, respectively, and the AcOEt extract was the most active extract against the COR-L23 cell line (IC50 of 20.9 mg/ml). Buchariol, a sesquiterpene obtained by biofractionation of the CH2Cl2 extract, exhibited a higher activity than the positive control vinblastine against the C32 and A549 cell lines (IC50 values of 2.1 and 12.6 mm, resp.). Interesting results were also obtained for naringenin, a flavonoid isolated from the AcOEt extract, which exhibited a strong cytotoxic activity against the C32, LNCaP, and COR-L23 cell lines (IC50 values of 2.2, 7.7, and 33.4 mm, resp.), compared to vinblastine (IC50 values of 3.3, 32.2, 50.0 mm, resp.). None of the tested compounds affected the proliferation of skin fibroblasts (142BR), suggesting a selective activity against tumor cells.