The DPPH test, andcytotoxicity (MTT) evaluation of Cinnamomum verum and Laurus nobilis methanolic extracts on cancer cells in vitro

Abstract

Herbal plants are traditionally used in Saudi Arabia to treat various illnesses. This study aimed to evaluate the in vitrocytotoxic activity of methanol extracts of two medicinal plants against the human epithelial cell line Caco-2. The selectivity index (SI) of each extract was then determined by the IC50ratio of normal to cancer cells. L. nobilisshowed the highest cytotoxic effect, and the least cytotoxicity was found in C. verum. Antioxidantactivity was assessed through the DPPH radical scavenging assay. Notably, C. verumand L. nobilisexhibited the highest concentrations of total phenolics (54.33 ± 0.198 mg GAE/g and 57.4 ± 6.053 mg QE/g, respectively). Both extracts demonstrated strong antioxidant activity against DPPH radicals, with IC50values ranging from 0.55 to 49.43 μg/mL. In addition, the extracts showed significant anticoccidial effects. The findings suggest that medicinal plant extracts could serve as valuable antioxidant agents for drug development.