Cytotoxic properties of Marrubium globosum ssp. libanoticum and its bioactive components

Abstract

Marrubium globosum Montbr. et Auch. ex Benth. ssp. libanoticum Boiss. (Lamiaceae) is a medicinal plant used in Lebanon for the treatment of inflammatory diseases, asthma, coughs and other pulmonary and urinary problems. The goal of our study was to assess the biological activity of M. globosum by testing different extracts of the aerial parts for their antiproliferative activity against human melanoma cells using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The chloroform fraction showed the greatest activity. The compounds isolated from the extracts were also tested: the mixture of (13S)-9α,13α-epoxylabda-6β(19),16(15)-diol dilactone and (13R)-9α,13α-epoxylabda-6β(19),16(15)-diol dilactone was the most active fraction, with an IC50 value of 29.2 ± 0.06 μg/mL.