In vitro cytotoxic activity of Cuphea ingrata Cham. & Schltdl. extracts related to the oenothein B content

Cuphea ingrata is a traditional medicinal plant species of the Lythraceae family. This work reports on the cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extract from the aerial parts of C. ingrata and the n-butanol and ethyl acetate fractions against human skin and prostate cancer cells. The selectivity of action was tested in normal skin keratinocytes HaCaT and prostate epithelial cells PNT2. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest activity in all three human skin cancer cell lines: A375, HTB-140, WM793, with IC50 = 15.90; 3.40; 18.75 mu g/mL, respectively. To obtain comparative information on the chemical composition, a quantitative analysis of oenothein B was performed using the UHPLC-PDA method. An analysis of its cytotoxic activity was also carried out.

Automated summary

This study reports on the cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extract and fractions of Cuphea ingrata against human skin and prostate cancer cells. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest activity against human skin cancer cells.