Impact of altitudinal variation on secondary metabolites, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer potential of Adiantum venustum D. Don

Phytoconstituents are being emphasized as chemotherapeutic agents, as well as probable anticancer agents. The purpose of the present research was to assess the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties of crude ethanolic extracts and bioactive fractions of Adiantum venustum D. Don collected from three sites in Himachal Pradesh, India. The bioactive phytoconstituents were examined qualitatively and quantitatively in crude ethanolic extracts and fractions of all sites, and biological activities were analyzed. The potential presence of terpenoids, saponins, tannins, phenols, and flavonoids was examined, and it came to light that BF-II [n-butanol fraction of Site-II (2000 m altitude)] had a significantly higher phytochemical concentration. Additionally, the crude ethanolic extracts and fractions were examined for antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and BF-II was found to have potential antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, as verified by the IC₅₀ values (lowest half inhibitory concentration) in the DPPH (57.86 ± 0.72 μg/mL), reducing power assay (45.20 ± 0.72 μg/mL), FRAP (73.12 ± 0.23 μM Fe equivalent), BSA (56.76 ± 0.25 μg/mL), and EAA (EAA59.84 ± 0.13 μg/mL). Following that, the anticancer potential was investigated further using the MTT assay on the HeLa cell line, MTT assay revealed that BF-II possesses significantly higher anticancer potential. Furthermore, the dominant crude ethanolic extract and fraction were further investigated using gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy, and high-performance thin layer chromatography techniques from the selected plant. Overall, the study suggests that the n-butanol fraction of A. venustum possesses significantly higher therapeutic value but is still not explored to the extent of its potential.