In vitro Biological efficacy and in silico assessment of anti-lung cancer activity of Acalypha fruticosa Forssk.

Abstract

Acalypha fruticosa Forssk. is an evergreen rigid shrub predominantly found in the Siriya Kalvarayan hill region of the Eastern Ghats of India.  A. fruticosa is used by tribal communities for various purposes, including the treatment of skin diseases, wounds, stomachaches, and poisonous insect and snake bites.  The present study reported promising pharmacological properties of A. fruticosa, which has antioxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties.  The plant extract showed substantial antioxidant activity by inhibiting DPPH and ABTS radicals by 80% and 75%, respectively, at a 100 µg/mL concentration.  The plant leaf extract exhibited significant inhibition of lung cancer cells (A549 cells) with an IC50 of 57.0 µg/mL while maintaining 80% cell viability in normal Vero cells at 100 µg/mL.  The ethanolic leaf extract of A. fruticosa possesses 48% anti-inflammatory efficacy.  Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis identified around 44 individual volatile compounds in the ethanolic leaf extract.  Using the SwissTarget database, compounds from the extract were screened for their binding ability to specific receptors associated with lung cancer (ERβ, COX-2, HER-2, and mTOR).  Specific anti-cancer compounds, such as 1,2-Cyclohexanedione and 1,5-Hexadien-3-ol, demonstrated significant binding energy for the chosen receptors.1,5-Hexadien-3-ol, 3-methyl-6(methylthio)-1-(2,6,6-trimethyl-1-cyclohexen-1-yl)-, (E,E)- showed particularly noteworthy binding energy for all selected lung cancer receptors compared to other phytocompounds.  Further identification of specific bioactive compounds and their interaction with lung cancer receptors will provide valuable insights into the plant's potential for developing therapeutic agents.