Selective cytotoxicity of Arctium extracts in pancreatic, bladder, and colorectal cancer cell lines: A comparative dose-response study

Gastrointestinal and urinary tract cancers, including colorectal, pancreatic, and bladder malignancies, represent a major global health burden due to their high mortality and therapeutic resistance. In light of the limitations of current treatment strategies, plant-derived compounds with multitargeted actions have emerged as promising alternatives. This study aimed to evaluate the cytotoxic effects of methanol and dichloromethane:methanol (1:1) extracts of Arctium minus subsp. pubens, A. minus subsp. minus, and A. tomentosum var. glabrum on three human cancer cell lines: HTB-9 (bladder), DLD-1 (colorectal), and PANC-1 (pancreatic). Extracts were prepared from aerial parts of plants using two solvents of differing polarity. Cell viability was determined after 24 and 48 hours using the WST-1 assay. IC₅₀ values were calculated, and statistical comparisons were performed. All extracts exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity. The methanol extract of A. tomentosum showed the strongest effect in HTB-9 cells, while A. minus subsp. pubens demonstrated potent activity against DLD-1 and PANC-1 cells. The findings highlight the selective cytotoxic potential of Arctium species, especially A. minus subsp. pubens and A. tomentosum, which may serve as valuable candidates for further phytochemical and mechanistic anticancer studies.