Anticancer and Antioxidant Activities of Methanolic Extract of Ziziphus Spina-Christi Leaves against Human Gastric Carcinoma Cells

Ziziphus spina-christi (Rhamnaceae) is employed in Middle Eastern countries for the treatment of different diseases. Earlier reports revealed that it is cytotoxic to oral cancer cells. The current study determined the antioxidant activity and the anticancer potential of methanolic extract of Z. spina-christi against gastric carcinoma. LC-MS analysis was used to determine the different phytoconstituents predicted to be present in the extract. The effect of the Z. spina-christi leaf extract against human gastric carcinoma (AGS) cell lines was evaluated using MTT assay and cellular apoptosis techniques. A ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay was used to assess the antioxidant effect. The LC-MS analysis revealed 24 phytoconstituents and Z. spina-christi extract was cytotoxic on AGS cells with an IC50 value of 125.1 μg/ml. Incubation of AGS cells with the extract decreased the percentage of live cells with a significant increase in late apoptotic phase and necrotic phase in the cellular apoptosis assay. The Z. spina-christi extract showed a potent antioxidant effect. The results show that Z. spina-christi extract possesses cytotoxic and antioxidant actions.