Phytochemical analysis and antiproliferative properties of Pistacia atlantica leaves

The medicinal plants may serve as potential sources for the development of new drugs and more effective anticancer agents for future therapy. Pistacia atlantica (Vahl.) Masters (Anacardiaceae) is an important plant used in traditional medicine practice in Algeria, and North Africa countries. The present study has the objective to estimate the in vitro antiproliferative (on the RD and Hep2 human tumor cell lines using the3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) assay) properties of the aqueous extracts of P. atlantica leaves, offering a phytochemical characterization of its aqueous extracts, by spectrophotometry methods. evealed by HPLC, phenolic compounds present among the five different flavonoids identified such as: ((epi)catechin, myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol glycoside derivatives). The MTT assay revealed that the tested extract had a good activity against Hep2 and RD cell lines with median inhibitory concentration (GI50)> 1000 μg/mL against Hep2 and (IC50) = 825,079 μg/mL against RD, (GI 50). The results showed a great bioactive potential for this species with a significant contribution of phenolic compounds, specially the flavonoids which makes it an interesting matrix in the development of novel pharmaceutical formulations. Planned future studies will involve the identification of different extract other than aqueous extract, determination of the mechanisms of action and the bioactive molecule of plant extracts. Keywords: Pistacia atlantica; aqueous extract; antiproliferative; MTT, HPLC.