Investigation of antimicrobial and anticancer activity of extracts obtained following UV application to Althaea officinalis L. callus cultures

Althaea officinalis L., a plant of the Malvaceae family, is widely used in alternative medicine. The aim of this study is to cultivate the Althaea officinalis plant under in vitro conditions to create an appropriate callus regeneration protocol and investigate the antimicrobial and anticancer activities of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts of calli after UV-C application. Leaf, petiole, and root parts of A. officinalis plants germinated in a sterile environment were used as explant sources. Explants were cultured on MS medium containing different concentrations of 2,4-D (1, 2 mg/l) and BAP (0.25, 0.50, 0.75 mg/l). The most effective (100%) callus growth and callus weight (516.24±0.48 mg) was observed on petiole explants using MS medium containing 1 mg/l 2,4-D + 0.25 mg/l BAP. Calli obtained from leaf and petiole explants were exposed to UV-C treatment. Extractions of calli were carried out using methanol and ethyl acetate solutions. 1 mg/ml, 5 mg/ml, and 10 mg/ml solutions of methanol and ethyl acetate extracts were prepared and their antimicrobial activity on bacteria was investigated using the disc diffusion method for 7 different gram-positive and 9 different gram-negative bacteria. None of the three extract concentrations used had any antimicrobial activities. The anticancer activities of the extracts on SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were studied using the WST-1 viability kit. 1000, 500, 250, 125, and 62.5 µg/ml concentrations of ethyl acetate extracts of leaf and petiole calli had anticancer activity.