Antitumoral effect of Nitraria retusa bioactive compounds on two glioblastoma cell lines

Area of Science:

• Pharmacology
• Natural Products Chemistry
• Oncology

Background:

• Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor with limited treatment options.
• Natural compounds offer potential therapeutic avenues due to their diverse biological activities.
• Nitraria retusa (Nr) is a plant species known for its antioxidant properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the antioxidant and antitumoral effects of Nitraria retusa leaf extracts (Nr-extracts) on glioblastoma (GBM) cells.
• To identify specific compounds within Nr-extracts responsible for these effects.
• To evaluate the potential of Nr-extracts as a synergistic agent in GBM therapy.

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of antioxidant capacity in various systems (nonenzymatic, enzymatic, cellular).
• Assessment of antitumoral effects, including inhibition of cell growth, adhesion to extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, and invasion of collagen gel.
• Cytotoxicity studies of Nr-extracts, alone and in combination with TEMODAL (TPZ), on glioblastoma cells.

Main Results:

• The methanolic extract (Nr-MeOH) exhibited the highest antioxidant capacity, attributed to isorhamnetin and carbohydrate derivatives.
• The chloroform extract (Nr-Chl), containing β-sitosterol, showed a significant apoptotic effect on glioblastoma cells, especially when combined with TEMODAL.
• Both Nr-Chl and Nr-MeOH extracts inhibited glioblastoma cell attachment to fibronectin, vitronectin, and collagen I, with Nr-MeOH being more effective in reducing cell invasion.

Conclusions:

• Flavonols and sterols from Nitraria retusa possess significant antitumoral and free radical-scavenging activities.
• Nr-extracts demonstrate potential in inhibiting glioblastoma cell growth, adhesion, and invasion.
• These findings suggest a promising synergistic therapeutic approach for glioma treatment using natural compounds.