Evaluation of the Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Activities of Carthamus caeruleus L. Rhizome Extracts

The genus Carthamus is recognized as an essential source of traditional medicine due to its immune-enhancing, antioxidant, and anti-cancer properties. This study aims to compare and determine the antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of the hydromethanolic and chloroformic extracts of the rhizome of Carthamus caeruleus L. The antioxidant activity was assessed using three radical scavenging methods, namely 2,2′-azinobis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS+ ), nitric oxide scavenging (NO·) and non-enzymatic radical scavenging (SO·). The potential cytotoxic was evaluated on several tumor cell lines, including gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS), colorectal adenocarcinoma (CaCo2), breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), lung carcinoma (NCI-H460), cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa), and one non-tumor cell line of African green monkey kidney (VERO). The hydromethanolic extract was significantly more potent than the chloroformic extract for both activities evaluated, exhibiting IC50 values of 0.14 ± 0.008, 1.39 ± 0.27, and 0.89 ± 0.074 µg/mL in ABTS+, NO·and SO·assays, respectively. As for cytotoxic potential, the hydromethanolic extract was particularly active against the NCI-H460 cells (IC50 value of 177.69 ± 1.90 µg/mL). These results suggest that the hydromethanoic extract of the rhizome of C. caeruleus could be used as an antioxidant and cytotoxic agent, supporting its traditional use as a treatment for burns. Keywords: Carthamus caeruleus L.; antioxidant activity; cytotoxic potential; radical scavenging.