article · Scientific Reports
This study investigated the phytochemical composition, antioxidant, and anticancer properties of Nicotiana glauca leaf extract. Selected for its high yield and strong antioxidant activity, the plant's extract and fractions were analysed using various techniques. Key compounds identified included anabasine and nornicotine, alongside two isolated compounds, N,N-methylenebis(14-docosene) (Compound A) and 14-methylhexadecanoic acid (Compound B). A synergistic effect was observed between the crude extract and Compound A for both antioxidant and anticancer activities, while Compound B showed antagonism. The extract and isolated compounds demonstrated concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against HeLa and HepG2 cancer cells. Molecular docking suggested anabasine could bind to HPV16 E2 and E6 oncoproteins, indicating potential for further research.
Discovering new natural sources of compounds with antioxidant and anticancer properties is crucial for developing novel therapeutic agents. This research highlights Nicotiana glauca as a promising wild plant for further investigation into its bioactive metabolites, potentially leading to new treatments for various diseases, including cancer.
This early-stage research identifies Nicotiana glauca as a potential source of compounds with antioxidant and anticancer properties. Future applications could involve developing new natural product-based therapies or supplements. The findings on specific compounds and their synergistic effects could guide the development of formulations targeting cancer cells or oxidative stress. However, these are preliminary findings requiring extensive experimental validation and clinical trials before any real-world use.
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Abstract This study aimed to characterize the phytochemical composition and antioxidant, cytotoxic and molecular docking profile of Nicotiana glauca Graham (Solanaceae), a wild plant species naturalized along the Wadi El Natrun–North Coast Road, Egypt. N. glauca was selected from a preliminary screening of ten co-occurring wild plant species collected during the summer of 2022 on the basis of its highest extraction yield (2.20%), the richest qualitative phytochemical profile among the ten species, and its strong antioxidant activity. The aqueous ethanolic leaf extract of N. glauca and its sixteen column fractions were subsequently evaluated using four chemical antioxidant assays: 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), potassium permanganate (KMnO₄), and dichlorophenolindophenol (DCPIP). Comprehensive phytochemical characterization was performed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), TLC-bioautography, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mass spectrometry, 1 H and 13 C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and GC/MS/MS analyses. Total phenolic, flavonoid and alkaloid contents ranged from 0.3–8.4 g GAE/100 g DW, 0.1–2.14 g/100 g DW, and 0.31–7.01 g/100 g DW, respectively, across the extracts; a Pearson correlation analysis between these compound classes and antioxidant activity across the ten species did not reach statistical significance (p > 0.05), consistent with a ceiling effect at the tested concentration and supporting a combined rather than single-compound-class contribution to activity. GC/MS/MS analysis of fraction 11 revealed anabasine as the predominant alkaloid (39.26%), followed by nornicotine (36.50%). Two pure compounds were isolated and identified as N,N-methylenebis(14-docosene) (Compound A) and 14-methylhexadecanoic acid (Compound B). A synergistic interaction was observed between the crude extract and Compound A for both antioxidant (combination index, CI = 0.53) and anticancer activity (CI = 0.139–0.158), whereas an antagonistic effect was observed with Compound B (CI = 2.2–28.8). Both the crude extract and isolated compounds exhibited concentration-dependent cytotoxic activity against HeLa (IC₅₀ = 146.04 µg/mL) and HepG2 (IC₅₀ = 169.38 µg/mL) cancer cell lines. Treatment of HeLa cells with Compound A was associated with upregulation of the pro-apoptotic Bax gene, downregulation of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 gene, an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and elevated malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, findings consistent with, though not direct proof of, apoptosis induction and oxidative stress. Molecular docking analysis indicated that anabasine binds with favorable predicted affinity to the HPV16 E2 (PDB: 2Q79) and E6 (PDB: 7UAJ) oncoproteins; these computational results provide hypothesis-generating support for further exploration of anabasine against HPV-associated oncoproteins and require experimental validation. Overall, these findings characterize N. glauca as a promising wild source of antioxidant and cytotoxic bioactive metabolites and support further mechanistic and translational investigation.
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DOI: 10.1038/s41598-026-67585-9
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