Isolation and Bioactivities of Secondary Metabolites from Leaf Extracts of (Rhodomyrtus Tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk.)

Abstract

Cancer is characterized by abnormal cell development, frequently involving p53 gene mutation pathways. Approximately, 60% of cancer cases exhibit abnormalities in the p53 gene, which plays a pivotal role in normal cell division. This study explores the potential anticancer properties of Rhodomyrtus tomentosa leaves, known for their rich content of chemical compounds such as phenolics, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and terpenoids. This study aimed to isolate, identify, and determine the bioactivity of secondary metabolite compounds extracted from R. tomentosa leaves against cancer cells. Finely powdered R tomentosa leaves were macerated with 70% ethanol. The extract obtained was partitioned and fractionated by the isolation of compounds carried out by thin-layer chromatography, The isolated compounds were characterized and tested for cytotoxic properties and selectivity against various cells. The analysis identified flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, steroids, and phenolics in the extracts and fractions obtained from R. tomentosa leaves. The compound isolated from R. tomentosa leaves was identified as 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-acetic acid, confirmed through FTIR and NMR analyses. The bioactivity test shows that 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-acetic acid has anticancer activity in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation with IC50 values obtained in MCF-7 cells of 9.66 µg/mL (strong), T47D 59.47 µg/mL (medium), WiDr 39.21 µg/mL (strong), HeLa 199.60 µg/mL (medium), and on normal cells (Vero Cell) with an IC50 value of 1292.50 µg/mL. The presence of the active compound 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-acetic acid in R. tomentosa suggests a promising potential for the plant as an anticancer agent.