Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Cytotoxicity of Securidaca longepedunculata (polygalaceae) Root Bark Extract

Abstract

Securidaca longepedunculata is a savannah shrub found growing in tropical Africa. It is reputed to have more than a hundred medicinal uses and is a major component of anticancer decoctions in Nigeria. Despite its reported use as an anti-cancer plant, there is a dearth of information on the anti-cancer potential and mechanism of its anticancer activity. The present study is to identify the chemical constituents present in Securidaca longepedunculata  by quantitative Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and determine the cytotoxic effect of the plant on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells. Secondary metabolites in the extract were predicted using GC-MS. In vitro cytotoxic activity was determined using the trypan blue dye exclusion assay by incubating Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells with various concentrations of S. longepedunculata aqueous extract. Analysis by GC-MS revealed the presence of the following compounds: bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (90.99%), 1-decanol (4.17%) and cyclododecane (1.86%), phenol, 2, 21-methylene bis (1.32%), cyclopenten-4-one, 3-hydroxy-1, 2, 3, 5, 51-pentakis (trimethylsilyloxy)- (0.89%) and phenol, 2, 4-bis (1, 1-dimethylethyl)(0.78%). Securidaca longepedunculata aqueous extract (SL) was cytotoxic to Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells in vitro. The IC50 of SL on EAC cells was 67 µg/ml. The aqueous root-bark extract of S. longepedunculata contains bioactive agents and was cytotoxic to Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells in vitro.