Exploring the Antiproliferative and Antioxidant Effects of Fagonia cretica Thereof: An In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation

Abstract

Cancer has appeared as the second leading cause of death worldwide, and breast cancer has become a major health problem due to its high mortality and morbidity. Therefore, there is an urgent need for treatments that have minimal side effects while delivering effective therapeutic outcomes. A wild medicinal plant-derived extract has the potential to cure cancer and decrease side effects. In this study, we characterized the physicochemical properties of Fagonia cretica and evaluated its efficacy and safety as an anticancer drug. Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, and saponins, with total phenolic and flavonoid contents of 1.44 ± 0.01 mg GAE/g and 0.99 ± 0.02, respectively. Flavonoids and phenols were found to be the primary components in the aqueous extract, and kaempferol-7-o rhamanoside, flavanone, catechin, D-pinitol, arbutin, isorhamnetin, herbacetin-3,8-dimethyl ether, and lupeol were identified through LC–MS analysis. The MTT assay revealed the time- and dose-dependent effects of F. cretica on the viability of cancer cell lines (MCF-7). The scavenging properties also increased in a dose-dependent manner, with the maximum effect occurring at 200 μg/mL. The in vivo trials revealed that oral treatment with F. cretica at 120 mg/kg in cancer-induced rats significantly improved body weight and regressed the tumor compared with the control (4.09 ± 0.87 vs. 6.43 ± 1.21, p < 0.05), as evidenced by histopathology. The liver and kidney functions were normal, and a reduction in the mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH) and platelet count was observed after F. cretica treatment. These findings indicate that the aqueous extract of F. cretica possesses anticancer, antioxidant, and cytotoxic properties without adverse effects on liver or kidney functions. The present research provides a theoretical basis for the use of medicinal plants; however, there is still a need to investigate the molecular mechanisms involved.