Abstract

Trapa natans L., commonly known as water chestnut, is a small aquatic herb belonging to the family Trapaceae. Its fruit is valued for both nutritional and pharmaceutical properties. This study investigated the anticancer potential of Red Trapa natans shell methanolic extract (RTNSME) against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells. RTNSME demonstrated significant anticancer activity, inhibiting EAC cell growth by 76.05% compared to the untreated cells. DAPI-stained cells revealed nuclear condensation, cell shrinkage, and membrane blebs in RTNSME-treated EAC cells in contrast to untreated cells under Fluorescence microscopy. These findings were supported by RT-PCR analysis of pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic genes. RTNSME up-regulated the expression of p53 and Bax, while down-regulating the anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-2. Additionally, RTNSME suppressed the activity of the NF-kB, further indicating its role in promoting apoptosis. GC-MS analysis of RTNSME identified 35 phytochemical constituents, including some known bioactive and anticancer compounds such as canthaxanthin, dipyridamole, and colchiceinamide. Molecular docking studies suggested that canthaxanthin exhibits the strongest binding affinity and is likely the most potent compound against EAC cells. Overall, this study demonstrates that RTNSME exerts significant anticancer effects on EAC cells, primarily through NF-kB inactivation and induction of apoptosis.

Key words: Apoptosis, Carcinoma cells, Molecular docking, NF-kB, Trapa natans L.