The antioxidant capacity and in-vitro anticancer effects of Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb. against laryngeal cancer cells.

Laryngeal cancer has a poor prognosis and invasive character. Despite recent technological advances, laryngeal cancer remains challenging with a low survival rate. Artocarpus lakoocha Roxb. (AL) is rich in oxyresveratrol with antioxidant, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory properties This study aimed to determine the total phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and in-vitro anticancer effects of AL on laryngeal cancer cell lines. Total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of AL was evaluated using Folin-Ciocalte and DPPH tests. Cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects were measured with MTT and live-dead assays, while CASP-3, BAX, and BCL-2 expressions were analyzed via qRT-PCR and western blotting. Cell migration inhibition was determined by scratch-wound healing assay. The total phenolic content of AL was calculated as 541.3 ± 14.1 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/g. The IC(50) value for the scavenging effect of AL against DPPH radical was 98.03 ± 0.5780 µg/mL. AL demonstrated dose- and time-dependent in-vitro cytotoxic effects on Hep-2 and SCC-90 cells and exhibited higher selectivity toward cancer cells than Detroit-551 fibroblasts. Microscopic imaging confirmed that AL caused a dose-dependent decrease in cell viability and a dose-dependent cancer cell death. AL also inhibited migration of cancer cell lines and modulated apoptosis related genes and proteins by upregulating CASP-3 and BAX while downregulating BCL-2. Overall, the high phenolic content, antioxidant capacity and observed in-vitro anticancer effects of AL support its consideration as a biologically active natural compound for further investigation in laryngeal cancer.