Metabolic Profile and Evaluation of Biological Activities of Extracts from the Stems of <i>Cissus trifoliata</i>

• Main Authors: Luis Fernando Méndez-López, Elvira Garza-González, María Yolanda Ríos, M. Ángeles Ramírez-Cisneros, Laura Alvarez, Leticia González-Maya, Jessica N. Sánchez-Carranza, María del Rayo Camacho-Corona
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: hierba del buey; anticancer; gc-ms; lc-ms; bioactive compounds
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/21/3/930

<i>Cissus trifoliata</i> (L.) L belongs to the Vitaceae family and is an important medicinal plant used in Mexico for the management of infectious diseases and tumors. The present study aimed to evaluate the metabolic profile of the stems of <i>C. trifoliata</i> and to correlate the results with their antibacterial and cytotoxic activities. The hexane extract was analyzed using gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and the CHCl₃-MeOH and aqueous extracts by ultraperformance liquid chromatography quadrupole time of fly mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS). The antibacterial activity was determined by broth microdilution and the cytotoxicity was evaluated using MTS cell proliferation assay. Forty-six metabolites were putatively identified from the three extracts. Overall, terpenes, flavonoids and stilbenes characterize the metabolic profile. No antibacterial activity was found in any extract against the fifteen bacteria strains tested (MIC &gt;500 &#181;g/mL). However, high cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀ &#8804; 30 &#181;g/mL) was found in the hexane and aqueous extracts against hepatocarcinoma and breast cancer cells (Hep3B, HepG2 and MCF7). This is the first report of the bioactive compounds of <i>C. trifoliata</i> stems and their antibacterial and cytotoxic properties. The metabolic profile rich in anticancer compounds correlate with the cytotoxic activity of the extracts from the stems of <i>C. trifoliata</i>. This study shows the antitumor effects of this plant used in the traditional medicine and justifies further research of its anticancer activity.