Quercetin - A flavonoid compound from Sarcopyramis bodinieri var delicate with potential apoptotic activity in HepG2 liver cancer cells

Abstract

Purpose: To isolate and identify the cytotoxicity of the constituents of Sarcopyramis bodinieri var. delicate. Methods: S. bodinieri var. delicate was extracted with hydrochloric acid-methanol and fractionated with ethyl acetate further. The chemical constituents of the ethyl acetate fraction were purified by a combination of D101 macroporous resin and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The structure was characterized by 1H-Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Apoptosis was evaluated by fluorescence staining and Western blot analysis using 4,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) SDSPAGE tests in HepG2 liver cancer cells. Results: One flavonoid with high purity was purified by the combination of D101 macroporous resin and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography. The flavonoid compound was identified as quercetin by 1HNMR and ESI-MS analyses. DAPI staining and PARP SDS-PAGE tests showed 60 μM quercetin could induce potential apoptotic activity in HepG2 liver cancer cells. Conclusion: Quercetin was the major cytotoxicity constituent in S. bodinieri var. delicate. © Pharmacotherapy Group, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Benin, Benin City, 300001 Nigeria. All rights reserved.