Phytochemical Profiling and Cytotoxic Potential of Musa acuminata Stem Extracts against Transformed Dysplastic Oral Keratinocytes (T-DOK): An In vitro Chemoprevention Study

Background: Oral cancers are often preceded with precancers, which paves the way for chemoprevention. Musa acuminata rich in phytochemical bioactives can serve as novel preference. Objective: To analyze the phytochemical bioactives of Musa acuminata (red banana) stem extracts and to determine its cytotoxicity against transformed dysplastic oral keratinocytes (T-DOK) cell lines. Methods: The Musa acuminata stem samples were extracted by maceration using ethyl acetate for phytochemical analysis. Dysplastic oral keratinocyte (DOK) cell lines were treated with 70 uM doses of “B(a)P/DMBA” for 90 minutes every alternative day for 6 weeks to be converted into highly proliferative T-DOK cell lines. Cytotoxicity of Musa acuminata on T-DOK cell lines was assessed using MTT assay. Results: Phytochemical analysis delineated 0.078 mg/mL of phenolic compounds and 0.042 mg/mL of flavonoids. B(a)P/DMBA-treated DOK cells were altered to highly proliferative T-DOK cell lines. Musa acuminata exhibited significant toxicity against T-DOK cell lines after 24, 48, and 72 hours of incubation, which showed IC50 values of 223.08 µg/mL, 181.35 µg/mL, and 163.825 µg/mL, respectively. Conclusion: Phytochemical analysis of Musa acuminata affirms the presence of chemopreventive bioactives like phenolic compounds and flavonoids, thus inducing evident cytotoxicity in T-DOK cell lines.