The role of chitosan-loaded solanine glycoalkaloid from Solanum scabrum Mill. leaf extract as anti-inflammatory and in vitro anticancer agents

INTRODUCTION: Solanum scabrum Mill. commonly ‘African nightshade’ or ‘’garden huckle berry’’ is a plant whose leaves are used by tribes in Nigeria and Cameroon for making the popular ’kombi’ and ‘njama njama’ soups respectively. This study was aimed at evaluating the anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities.
METHODS: Fractions were tested for anti-inflammatory potential and in vitro anti-cancer activity on MCF-7 and HMVII cell lines by carrageenan-induced edema in mice, and cytotoxicity assays such as MTT, transwell migration and invasion assays, apoptosis study by flow cytometry respectively.
RESULTS: Bio-guided isolation yielded a white crystalline compound 3-nitrodibenzofuran (C12H7NO3, m/z; 213.19 g/mol, m.p.; 181.49oC). 1H-NMR showed seven signals at δ (ppm) 2.8 -4.3 consisting of two doublets and five singlets while the 13C showed twelve carbons which are majorly methyl carbons at δ (ppm) between 120-195. All tested samples showed a dose-dependent anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan induced mice. The isolated compound, solanine and chitosan-loaded drugs showed significant inhibitory activity on the cell lines with an IC50 values of 8.52, 0.82 and 22.1 μg/mL respectively on MCF-7 cell line, and 4.54, 0.08, and 12.1 μg/mL respectively on HMVII cell line, while doxorubicin (Adriamycin) positive control, had an IC50 values of 0.02 and 0.06 μg/mL on MCF-7 and HMVII cancer cells respectively. The selective index of solanine was the lowest from the study, hence, it lacks the ability to differentiate between cancerous and normal cell Vero E6 cell line. Chitosan-loaded drugs quicken early apoptosis and sustained late apoptosis in cells from the study, with much improved selective indices.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The results obtained from this study further affirmed the use of chitosan NPs as carrier for anticancer drugs.