European Journal of Medicinal Plants

Aims: To investigate antioxidant activity of crude extracts and cytotoxic activity of partially purified bioactive compounds of Ziziphus mauritiana and Ziziphus oenoplia extracts.

Study Design: Experimental study.

Background: Breast and lung cancers are known to cause high morbidity and mortality worldwide. Ziziphus plants are wildly grown species known for their folkloric implications with bioactive phytochemicals believed to be responsible for pharmacological activity.

Materials and Methods: Antioxidant action was determined with crude bark extracts and in vitro antiproliferation activities were determined by using partially purified fractions obtained from bark extracts of Z. mauritiana and Z. oenoplia using DPPH and MTT assay, respectively. Possible active ingredients in the potent fractions were identified by Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS).

Results: Considerable antioxidant activity was demonstrated by Z. mauritiana methanol extracts (ZMMA); while Z. mauritiana alkaloid fraction (ZMA) exhibited highest cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀- 19.35 µg/ml) against human lung carcinoma A549 cells and Z. oenoplia alkaloid fraction (ZOA) against human adenocarcinoma mammary gland MDA-MB-231 cells through MTT assay, its further analysis witnessed reduced MMP expression using gelatin zymography. GC-MS technique employed to identify the bioactive compounds of most potent alkaloid fraction ZMA revealed existence of isoquinoline, morphinan, glaucine and pyrazoline compounds.

Conclusion: Our study concludes occurrence of strong antioxidant, antiproliferative and a possible anti-invasive activity to support robust traditional belief in the medicinal properties of Ziziphus species.