Abstract

Introduction: This study aims to isolate and characterize potential cytotoxic compounds from the roots of Bauhinia variegata Linn. (Caesalpiniaceae) and evaluate their activity against human cancer cell lines. Five compounds, namely β-sitosterol (1), piperine (2), piperolein B (3), retrofractamide A (4), and dehydropipernonaline (5), were isolated from B. variegata roots using various chromatographic procedures. Methods: The root extracts were prepared using aqueous and organic solvents, including n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and methanol. The isolated compounds were subjected to a sulforhodamine B cytotoxicity assay against DU-145 and PC-3 (prostate), HT-29 (colon), and MCF-7 (breast) human cancer cell lines. Among the isolates, compound 5 exhibited significant bioactivity against all tested cell lines. Compound 4 demonstrated in vitro activity, specifically against MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Results: Importantly, these compounds were identified for the first time from B. variegata roots. In conclusion, this study highlights the enhanced spectrum of cytotoxic activity exhibited by the isolated compounds. These findings encourage further investigation to elucidate the mechanism of action of these compounds against the respective cell lines. Conclusion: The identification and characterization of these bioactive compounds contribute to the understanding of the potential therapeutic applications of B. variegata in cancer treatment.