Evaluation of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities of diosgenin enriched Paris polyphylla rhizome extract of Indian Himalayan landraces.

Abstract Ethnopharmacological relevance Traditional medicinal plants have gained attention as a potential therapeutic agent to combat cancer and inflammation. Diosgenin rich fresh extracts of Paris polyphylla rhizome from Indian Himalaya is traditionally used as wound healing, anti-bleeding, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent by the folk healers. Aim of the study Present study was aimed to prepare two types of extracts from Paris polyphylla rhizome of Indian Himalayan landraces – 1. ethanolic extract of Paris polyphylla rhizome (EEPPR) and 2. Diosgenin enriched Paris polyphylla rhizome extract (DPPE), quantification of diosgenin content, and to evaluate their in vitro anti-oxidant, in vivo anti-inflammatory and in vitro cytotoxicity and anti-cancer activities of the DPPE. Materials and methods Diosgenin content of EEPPR was quantified through GC-MS while diosgenin content of DPPE was quantified through HPTLC, and the diosgenin yield from EEPPR and DPPE were compared. In vitro antioxidant activities of DPPE were performed using DPPH, NOD, RP and SOD assay while in vivo anti-inflammatory activity of DPPE were evaluated in dextran induced hind paw edema in rats. In vitro cytotoxicity and anti-cancer activities of DPPE were evaluated in human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231), cervical cancer cell lines (HeLa) and Hep-2 cell lines. Results EEPPR obtained through cold extraction method using 70% ethanol showed maximum diosgenin content of 17.90% quantified through GC-MS while similar compounds pennogenin (3.29%), 7β-Dehydrodiosgenin (1.90%), 7-Ketodiosgenin acetate (1.14%), and 7 β-hydroxydiosgenin (0.55%) were detected in low concentration, and thus confirmed diosgenin as major and lead phytochemical. However, DPPE obtained through both cold and repeated hot extraction with the same solvent (70% ethanol) showed diosgenin content of 60.29% which is significantly higher (p  Conclusion DPPE obtained through both cold and repeated hot extraction using ethanol showed significantly higher content of diosgenin than the diosgenin content detected in EEPPR. However, diosgenin yield of both the extracts (EEPPR & DPPE) clearly confirmed diosgenin as major and lead phytochemical of Paris polyphylla rhizome of Indian Himalayan landraces. Further, DPPE also demonstrated potent in vitro anti-oxidative and in vivo anti-inflammatory activities and showed in vitro cytotoxicity and significant anti-cancer (apoptosis) effects in MCF-7 breast cancer cells.