ORIGINAL RESEARCH
Antioxidant Activity of Plant Extracts
and the Enhance of Their Cytotoxic Effects
in Combination with Cisplatin
on HeLa Cell Line
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1
Laboratory of Immunology and Toxicology, Faculty of Chemistry, Autonomous University of Coahuila;
Venustiano Carranza Blvd. and José Cárdenas Valdés Street, 25280, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
2
Department of Food Research, Faculty of Chemistry, Autonomous University of Coahuila;
Venustiano Carranza Blvd. and José Cárdenas Valdés Street, 25280, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
3
Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Faculty of Chemistry, Autonomous University of Coahuila;
Venustiano Carranza Blvd. and José Cárdenas Valdés Street, 25280, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico
Submission date: 2023-11-28
Final revision date: 2024-01-20
Acceptance date: 2024-02-25
Online publication date: 2024-09-03
Corresponding author
Crystel Aleyvick Sierra Rivera
Laboratory of Immunology and Toxicology, Autonomous University of Coahuila, José Cárdenas Valdés, 25280, Saltillo, Mexico
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ABSTRACT
In this study, the aqueous extracts from selected medicinal plants were evaluated for their
phytochemical composition, antitumor activity, and capacity to enhance the cytotoxic effects in
combination with cisplatin on human cervical cancer cells (HeLa). In addition, their antioxidant
properties were determined. The quantification of phenolic compounds and flavonoids on
the extracts was performed by the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum chloride methods, respectively.
The identification of phenolic compounds was determined by RP-HPLC-MS analysis. The evaluation
of the cytotoxic effects of the extracts, cisplatin, and their combinations on HeLa cells was performed
by MTT assay. The antioxidant activity was evaluated with the methods of DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP.
According to the results, the extracts showed the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids; the
identified metabolites mainly belonged to flavonols and hydroxycinnamic acids. Moreover, the extracts
decreased the viability of HeLa cells, with the extracts from Artemisia ludoviciana and Parthenium
hysterophorus with major cytotoxic activities. On the other hand, most of the combinations of
the extracts with cisplatin enhanced the cytotoxic effects on HeLa cells, being the combination with
the extract from Parthenium hysterophorus exhibiting the lowest percentage of cell viability. In addition,
the extracts showed antioxidant potential, with the extracts from Mentha piperita, Origanum vulgare, and Tilia mexicana having the most significant antioxidant effects. The aqueous extracts demonstrated
to be sources of phenolic compounds and flavonoids with cytotoxic activity on the HeLa cell line
and the capacity to enhance the cytotoxic effects in combination with cisplatin. Moreover, the plant
extracts showed antioxidant activity.