Evaluation of Antioxidant, Cytotoxic, and Anticancer Activities of Methanol Extract of <i>Annona reticulata</i> Linn. Leaves

As potent therapeutic agents, the pharmacological potentials of natural substances have been the subject of recent research. Around the world, numerous tribes and ethnic communities have long used <i>Annona reticulata</i> Linn. (Family: <i>Annonaceae</i>) to treat variety of illnesses. Diverse therapeutic effects, including anthelmintic, antipyretic, antihyperglycemic, antiulcer, and antinociceptive properties are demonstrated by the plant. The current study assessed the plant's antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anticancer activities along with identifying probable responsible compounds for these effects via GC-MS analysis. The antioxidant potential was assessed using six assays. In DPPH and nitric oxide radical scavenging tests, good antioxidant property was demonstrated by test fraction with observed IC₅₀ values of 83.72 and 107.92 μg/mL. The extract's reducing potential was found to enhance with enhancing concentration. The 139.5 ± 7.21 mg ascorbic acid equivalent/g extract was obtained as the total antioxidant capacity value. The calculated total phenolic and flavonoid contents values for the extract were 69.73 ± 0.26 mg gallic acid equivalent/g extract and 93.62 ± 0.15 mg quercetin equivalent/g extract. The extract showed promising cytotoxic property in the brine shrimp lethality bioassay. In this study, the observed LC₅₀ value for the extract was 114.12 μg/mL; while the value for vincristine sulfate was 1.63 μg/mL. The extract's in vivo anticancer activity against EAC cell line was also remarkable. The 400 mg/kg of body weight dose of methanolic leaf extract showed tumor weight and EAC cell number values of 3.20 ± 0.20 g and 8.40 ± 0.51 cells/mL; both of these values were lower than the values obtained from the standard drug 5-fluorouracil.