Phytoconstituents profiling of Cissus rotundifolia (Forssk.) Vahl. by HPLC-MS/MS, and evaluation of its free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) and cytotoxicity

Characterization of phytoconstituents in the methanolic extract (70%) of Cissus rotundifolia (Forssk.) Vahl. was performed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (EIMS). Furthermore, tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) was performed to assist the structural elucidation of compounds. Accordingly, twenty-seven compounds were identified involving four acids, sixteen phenolics, two steroidal saponins, two coumarins, two stilbenoids and one triterpene. Astragalin 1, β-amyrin 2 and 1β-hydroxy-kryptogenin-1-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→2)- α-L arabinopyranoside 3 were isolated by column chromatography and their structures were identified by spectral analysis including 1D and 2D NMR. The plant extract and the isolated compounds 1-3 were evaluated for their radical scavenging activity. Compounds 1 and 2 showed significant activity relative to that of ascorbic acid as a standard. The cytotoxicity of the plant extract, the isolated compounds and the standard doxorubicin were evaluated using the three human tumor cell lines HT116, MCF-7 and PC-3. In this regard, the plant extract exhibited significant cytotoxicity against MCF-7 while no activity was observed against the other cell lines. The isolated compounds 1-3 showed no activity against the used cell lines, as well.