CHEMICAL COMPOSITION, ANTIGENOTOXIC, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTIPROLIFERATIVE ACTIVITIES OF N-BUTANOL FRACTION FROM PTERIS VITTATA L.

Pteris vittata L., a fern species in the Pteridoideae subfamily of Pteridaceae, is known to possess various medicinal properties. P. vittata is used as a folk medicine in the Eastern Ghats of Tamil Nadu, Western Ghats, and Vindhyan region of Madhya Pradesh, India. The present study was undertaken to evaluate antigenotoxic, antioxidant, and antiproliferative potential of P. vittata L. HPLC analysis was carried out for identification of polyphenols in n-butanol fraction of P. vittata L. (Pvitnol). The fraction significantly inhibited H₂O₂ and 4NQO induced genotoxicity in E. coli PQ 37 in SOS chromotest. Pvitnol fraction showed promising antioxidant potency in various in-vitro antioxidant assays viz. in DPPH, reducing power, superoxide anion scavenging, lipid peroxidation, site-specific hydroxyl scavenging, and non-site specific hydroxyl scavenging assays. Pvitnol was also effective in protecting pBR322 plasmid against damage caused by Fenton’s reagent. The antioxidant activity may in part be accountable for its antigenotoxic activity obtained in SOS chromotest. An inhibition of 74.43% was obtained in MTT assay at a concentration of 200 µg/ml in MCF -7 cell line, which indicates its antiproliferative potential. Antiproliferative activity was further validated by confocal imaging and comet assay. Confocal studies showed nuclear condensation and fragmentation. Double strand breaks in DNA were introduced in the Pvitnol treated cells leading to apoptosis, as evidenced by confocal studies. HPLC analysis showed varying amounts of different polyphenols viz. ellagic acid, kaempferol, quercetin, and rutin, which may account for its bioactive potential.