Methanolic extract of Eryngium creticum Lam leaves, flowers and roots: Quantification and qualification of phenolic contents, antitumor effect and antioxidant capacity

Natural products are potential sources of prospective antitumor agents. The phenolic and flavonoid contents of leaves, flowers, and roots of Eryngium creticum were quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). The antioxidant capacity and antitumor activity of the three extracts were tested on MCF-7 and Hep2. The average total phenolic contents of E. creticum leaves, flowers, and roots were 12.43 ± 0.24, 10.09 ± 0.20, and 4.78 ± 0.10 mg of GAE/g of dw, respectively. The average total flavonoids were 4.77 ± 0.10, 6.23 ± 0.12, and 5.62 ± 0.12 mg of QE/g of dw, respectively. The extracts showed considerable DPPH˙ scavenger activity with average IC50 values of 1.41 ± 0.06, 2.70 ± 0.06, and 3.03 ± 0.05 μg/mL, respectively. The average IC50 values of scavenging capacity of NO˙ radicals were 0.11 ± 0.03, 0.69 ± 0.04, and 0.44 ± 0.01 μg/mL, respectively. The average IC50 values in MCF-7 were 1.25 ± 0.50, 3.75 ± 0.48, and 1.88 ± 0.28 mg/mL, respectively. In Hep2, the average IC50 values were 1.16 ± 0.58, 3.75 ± 0.79, and 1.31 ± 0.47 μg/mL, respectively. Phenolic content varied between the different extracts; leaves showed the highest levels of gallic acid (3.60 μg/mL), querciti-3-O-galactoside (0.82 μg/mL), cyanin chloride (1.52 μg/mL), and rosmarinic acid (4.65 μg/mL). Roots showed the lowest quantities of the measured phenolics, except for chlorogenic acid (6.00 μg/mL) and rosmarinic acid (1.86 μg/mL). The three extracts of E. creticum possess in vitro antitumor activities, which could be utilized as an adjunct with chemotherapy.