Vitex negundo L. leaf extract suppresses the cell cycle and promotes apoptosis in colon cancer cells

Abstract

Colon cancer has become a frequent malignancy worldwide. Vitex negundo (V. negundo L.), is an herb used in traditional medicine to treat many kinds of diseases. This study investigated the molecular mechanism involved in colon cancer prevention using human colon cancer (HCT-116) cell lines with methanolic leaf extract of V. negundo L. DPPH and NOX radical scavenging properties, cell cycle analyses, Annexin V-FITC/PI, MTT assay, and qRT-PCR were utilized to determine Vitex negundo's impact on antioxidant properties, cytotoxicity, cell cycle and apoptosis in HCT-116 cells. Our results revealed that V. negundo L. exhibited strong DPPH and nitric oxide radical scavenging properties in a dose-related manner. Additionally, the extract inhibits cell growth in a way that is dependent on both time and dose. The IC₅₀ was found to be 54 μg/mL. Annexin V-FITC/PI confirmed apoptosis induction. Furthermore, the cell cycle studies demonstrated that the arrest occurred during the G2/M phase. The essential appliance of G2/M arrest is believed to be related to CDK1, survivin and cyclin B1 gene downregulation, as confirmed by qRT-PCR. In conclusion, our findings show that V. negundo L. extract has excellent antioxidant properties, suppresses the cell cycle, and promotes apoptosis.