Isolation and anti-cancer evaluation of two anti-proliferative constituents from the chloroform fraction of leaves of Conyza Sumatrensis (Retz.) E. H. Walker, Asteraceae

Abstract

The plant Conyza sumatrensis, is reputed for anticancer activities in most parts of Nigeria. Our previous study on the anticancer evaluation of the extract and fractions of the plant on breast (MCF-7) and lung (NCI-H460) cell lines, revealed a higher sensitivity of the Chloroform (CHCl3) -fraction against the cell lines. The present study involved the bioassay guided fractionation of the active chloroform (CHCl3) fraction of the leaves of Conyza sumatrensis which yielded two known compounds coded as C110 and C219 and were subjected to MS,1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy as well as anti-proliferative studies. The identities of the compounds were revealed via NMR and MS as Stigmast-5, 22-dien-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1) and 2, 3-dihydroxylpropyl hexacosanoate (2) whose GI50 were 40.83 ± 0.1, 22.67 ± 1.33 % and 58.83 ± 11.2 and 34 ± 5.6 % against MCF-7 and NCI-H460 cell lines respectively.The anti-proliferative activities of the compounds showed a considerable cell growth-inhibitory activity against human breast (MCF-7) and lung (NCI-H460) cell lines. These compounds are isolated from the plant for the first time and could serve as lead compounds for further investigation as anti-proliferative agents which could explain the rationale for its use in ethno-medicinal practice.