Antioxidative potential and anticancer activity of Elaeagnus caudata (Schltdl) against Type-II human lung adenocarcinoma, A549 cells via caspase-mediated apoptotic cell death

Abstract

This study investigates the phytochemical composition, anti-oxidative potential and anti-cancer activity of silverberry Elaeagnus caudata. The aqueous extract of E. Caudata has higher phenolic content (259.32 ± 5.18 mg GAE/g) and flavonoid content (1869.25 ± 25.9 mg quercetin equivalent/g) than the methanolic extract. The aqueous extract possessed higher scavenging activities than the methanolic extract for 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide anions (O2•−) and 2, 2’-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) with IC50 of 61.48 ± 1.06 μg/mL, 335.7 ± 0.61 μg/mL, and 372.2 ± 16.17 μg/mL, respectively. Consistently, the aqueous extract was found to exhibit higher total reducing power than the methanolic extract as well as standard ascorbic acid. The extracts were also analysed for their anti-haemolytic activity and inhibitory effect on lipid peroxidation in an ex-vivo condition using mice erythrocyte and liver, respectively. The aqueous extract of E. caudata showed higher inhibitory activities against hemolysis and lipid peroxidation with an inhibition rate of 80.77% and 81.58%, respectively. E. Caudata also induced cell death in A549 cells in a dose and time dependent manner and increased the level and activities of antioxidants, while decreasing the lipid peroxidation (LPO) level in the A549 cells. Induction of DNA damage and elevation of caspase-6 activity in A549 cells following E. Caudata treatment provide an insight into apoptosis based anti-cancer activities of E. caudata.