Exploring the antiproliferative activity and bioactive constituents of the petroleum ether fraction from Syzygium malaccense peel

Syzygium malaccense, an underutilized tropical fruit of the Myrtaceae family, is recognized for its broad spectrum of biological activities. Despite these promising attributes, its anticancer potential across various human cancer types remains unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the antiproliferative potential of S. malaccense fruit and identify the potential compounds responsible for this effect. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was employed to determine the antiproliferative activity of acetone extracts of the peel and flesh of SM fruit on colon (HCT-15), cervix (HeLa), and prostate (PC-3) cancer cells. Additionally, solvent partitioning of the bioactive acetone peel extract was performed using solvents of different polarities. The most active fraction was further examined for morphological alterations and apoptosis. Compounds identification was performed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results indicated that the extracts and fractions induced selective inhibition of cell proliferation with a dose-dependent response. The petroleum ether fraction (PEF) derived from the acetone extract of SM peel exhibited the lowest IC50 value of 97.47?±?8.63??g/mL in the HCT-15 cells. Microscopic examination revealed that HCT-15 cells treated with the PEF fraction displayed pronounced morphological characteristics consistent with apoptosis. Apoptosis induction validated through DNA fragmentation analysis confirmed PEF-induced apoptotic cell death in HCT-15 cells. GC-MS analysis of the PEF fraction identified 20 distinct compounds, with the phenolic compound 3-pentadecylphenol emerging as the major constituent. These findings suggest that SM fruit represents a rich and valuable source of bioactive constituents and can be regarded as a promising candidate for the development of functional foods with chemopreventive potential.