LEUCAS ASPERA (WILD.) LINK ROOTS EXTRACT SECONDARY METABOLITES BESTOW ANTIOXIDANT, ANTI-BACTERIAL PROPERTIES AND INDUCE CELL CYTOTOXICITY TO HUMAN BREAST CANCER CELLS, MCF-7 BY APOPTOSIS

Leucas aspera species, auspicious in many cultures worldwide, are sources of novel bioactive secondary metabolites. The mechanism by which they exhibit therapeutic potential via antioxidant, antimicrobial and apoptotic properties is scant. The main objective of the current study was to evaluate the properties of activity-guided fractionated root methanol extract. As the methanol extract exhibited the highest antioxidant activity, it was evaluated for secondary metabolites and therapeutic properties UPLC-MS analysis of the extract identified the 15 and five secondary metabolites including oleanolic acid, 6-C-glucosyl- 8- C- arabinosylapigenin, 6- C-arabinosyl 8- C-glycosylapigenin, neohesperidin and beta-sitosterol were reported. Anti-bacterial activity by disc diffusion inhibited human pathogenic bacteria. Bacterial bio-film inhibition capacity of extract (750 µg) imaged by Confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed loss of microcolonies. Further, it quenched free radicals produced by Fentons’ reagent studied by DNS-nicking assay, indicating its strong antioxidant property. The MTT assay results identified maximum cell death for human breast cancer cells, MCF-7 (EC₅₀, 60.31±2.71 mg/mL^-1). CLSM visualized a clear indication of apoptosis via chromatin condensation. The presence of novel bioactive compounds has uncovered possible therapeutic values by modulating antioxidants and apoptosis, leading to the development of potential alternative anticancer drugs.