Antiproliferative properties of a new plant alkaloid against cellular colorectal cancer cultures

Purpose of the study. To evaluate the antiproliferative properties of the novel alkaloid (P1) against CRC cell lines HT‑29, Caco‑2, and HCT116.

Materials and methods. CRC cell lines (HCT116, HT‑29, Caco‑2) were used in the experiments. The alkaloid (P1) was isolated from Petasites hybridus (L.) G. Gaertn., B. Mey. & Scherb and identified using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR). Cells were incubated with various concentrations of the alkaloid, and cell viability was assessed. Berberine, a well-known anticancer alkaloid, served as the reference compound.

Results. The alkaloid (P1) demonstrated pronounced antiproliferative activity across all tested colorectal cancer cell lines – HCT116, HT‑29, and Caco‑2. The highest sensitivity was observed in HCT116 cells, with an IC50 value of 15.73 μmol/L after 72‑hour incubation, indicating a substantial inhibitory effect on tumor cell proliferation. Comparative analysis showed that (P1) exhibited greater cytostatic efficacy than berberine in Caco‑2 (IC50 (P1) = 54.489 ± 8.3 μmol/L vs IC50 (berb) = 193.154 ± 13.1 μmol/L) and HT‑29 cultures (IC50 (P1) = 55.375 ± 7.1 μmol/L vs IC50 (berb) = 90.22 ± 8.2 μmol/L).

Conclusion. The findings indicate that the alkaloid (P1) possesses significant antiproliferative potential against colorectal cancer cell lines, underscoring its promise as a prospective anticancer agent. Notably, its superior efficacy compared with berberine highlights the relevance of further investigation. These results support continued development of (P1) as a basis for novel therapeutic agents. Future work should include detailed preclinical and clinical studies to elucidate its mechanism of action, evaluate safety and in vivo efficacy, and optimize pharmacological properties for potential clinical application.

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