Anticancer properties of ethanolic extract of Omani Ocimum basilicum in HCT116 colorectal cancer cells.

BACKGROUND

Natural plant-derived compounds are increasingly explored as safer alternatives to chemotherapy due to their multi-targeted anticancer properties. Despite Oman's rich floral biodiversity, data on the anticancer potential of its native species remain limited. Ocimum basilicum has emerged as a plant with promising bioactivities.

AIM: This study examined the cytotoxic, antimigratory, and antiadhesive effects of O. basilicum ethanolic extract on HCT116 colorectal cancer (CRC) cells.

METHODS

Ocimum basilicum collected from South Al Sharqiyah, Oman, was ethanol-extracted and tested against HCT116 cells at concentrations of 0-200 µg/ml. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, whereas cell adhesion and migration were assessed using fibrinogen/fibronectin-coated matrices and the wound-healing assay, respectively.Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance.

RESULTS

The ethanolic extract was rich in1,3-di-O-caffeoylquinic acid (23,366 ppm), rosmarinic acid (3,808 ppm), rutin (2,379 ppm), and luteolin (1,196 ppm).The extract significantly reduced HCT116 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner,from 87.7% at 50 µg/ml to 32.4% at 200 µg/ml (p < 0.0001). Migration was moderately inhibited at 50 µg/ml and strongly suppressed at concentrations ≥ 100 µg/ml (p < 0.0001), while adhesion remained unaffectedat 50 µg/ml but was significantly decreased at higher concentrations (p < 0.0001). A strong dose-response correlation was observed across all assays (R² > 0.89).

CONCLUSION

Ocimum basilicum ethanolic extract exhibits pronounced cytotoxic and antimigratory activities against HCT116 CRC cells, highlighting its potential as a natural anticancer candidate.