Isolation and Evaluation Bioactivities of Secondary Metabolites from Leaf Extracts of (Rhodomyrtus Tomentosa (Aiton) Hassk.)

Cancer is a condition of abnormal cell development with one of the p53 gene mutation pathways that can molecularly and biologically lead to the formation of cancer cells, and abnormalities in the p53 gene occur in 60% of cancer cases. Under normal conditions, p53 has an important role in cell division. One of the plants that can be developed as an anticancer agent is leaves R. tomentosa Which has chemical compounds such as phenolic compounds, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, and terpenoids. This study aims to isolate, identify, and determine the bioactivity of secondary metabolite compounds in extracts, fractions, and methanol isolates of R. tomentosa leaves against cancer cells. The samples used were from Sulu Sopai Village, Tana Toraja, South Sulawesi Province. Fine powdered leaves of R. tomentosa leaves were macerated with 70% ethanol solvent. The ethanol extract obtained was partitioned with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and ethanol-water n-hexane and then fractionated by the isolation of compounds carried out by chromatographic techniques, including KLT, The spectra of the isolated compounds were determined using FT-IR, and then the extracts, fractions, and isolates were tested for cytotoxic properties and selectivity against MCF-7, T47D, WiDr, HeLa, and normal cells (Vero Cell). by using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolim bromide (MTT) method. The results showed that the extracts and fractions contained flavonoids, tannins, saponins, alkaloids, steroid compounds, and isolates from R. tomentosa leaves. Identification with the KLT Three Eluent System showed a single yellow stain on the KLT plate, which is a typical color of flavanoid compounds, with Rfs of 0.35, 0.67, and 0.72. The AlCl3 reagent test also showed that the isolate obtained was a flavanoid compound group. As well as FTIR spectrum data showing the presence of C-O, C=O, and O-H primary groups, the isolate obtained is a flavanoid compound group with a melting point of 288–290 °C. The bioactivity test results of extracts, fractions, and isolates of R. tomentosa leaves show that the results obtained in ethanol-water extracts have activity as anticancer in inhibiting cancer cell proliferation with IC50 values obtained in MCF-7 cells of 9.66 µg/mL (strong), T47D 59.47 µg/mL (medium), WiDr 39.21 µg/mL (strong), HeLa 199.6 µg/mL (medium), and on normal cells (Vero Cell) has a weak toxic effect with an IC50 value of 1292.50 µg/mL. And doxorubicin, 3.2753 µg/mL. Based on the results obtained from this study, it can be concluded that the ethanol-water fraction of R. tomentosa leaves has anticancer activity on MCF-7, T47D, WiDr, and HeLa cancer cells. and has a weak toxic effect on normal cells (vero cells) compared to ethanol extract, ethyl acetate fraction, n-hexane fraction, and isolates. The ethanol extract and ethanol-water fraction of R. tomentosa leaves are active and have active selectivity.