Secondary Metabolite of <i>Bacopa monnieri</i> Under Plant Growth Regulators Treatment on Fibroblast and Cancer Cells

Background: Bacopa monnieri L. is a significant medicinal herb with high economic and social value. Objectives: This study aimed to enhance the growth rate and the production of flavonoids and polyphenols using plant growth regulators (PGRs). Additionally, the study evaluated the effects of these metabolites on the viability of skin cancer cells (A375) and human fibroblast cells (HDF) in a completely randomized design with three replicates. Methods: For flavonoid extraction, samples were dried at 50°C. A total of 0.25 g of finely powdered dried sample was extracted with 20 mL of 60% (v/v) aqueous ethanol. The total phenolic and flavonoid content of B. monnieri was calculated. Human fibroblast cell lines (IBRC No. C10506) and skin cancer cells (A375; IBRC No. C11337) were cultured in an incubator maintained at 37°C, with 5% CO2 and high humidity. Results: The study found that 1 mg/L NAA yielded the highest flavonoid (1.76 mg/g DW) and polyphenol (35.17 mg/g DW) content. Among the cytokinins, 0.8 mg/L BAP produced the highest flavonoid (1.61 mg/g DW) and polyphenol (32.51 mg/g DW) content. The maximum viability of HDF cells (135%) was observed at 0.4 mg/L 2IP. The findings suggest that increasing flavonoid content in B. monnieri through various hormones is not recommended for skin cancer treatment. However, the use of 0.5 μg/mL 2IP significantly enhanced the growth of fibroblast cells. Conclusions: The results suggest that the application of 2IP in tissue culture of the B. monnieri plant can be beneficial for increasing fibroblast cell viability, making it a promising ingredient in cosmetics and health products. Further research is necessary to confirm these findings and optimize applications.