ABSTRACT This study investigated the secondary metabolite profiles of Polygonum cognatum ( P. cognatum ) extracts obtained using various solvents to evaluate their biological activities, including antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, anthelmintic, and cytotoxic effects. Both in vitro and in silico approaches were employed, with a particular focus on apoptosis induction in SKOV‐3 human ovarian cancer cells. GC–MS analysis of the ethanolic extract identified major constituents, including vitamin E, 1‐docosene, and heptacosyl acetate. The ethanolic extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content (667.22 mg GAE/g) and demonstrated the most potent antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities. Cytotoxicity assays showed a revealed concentration of 25.35 µg/mL in SKOV‐3 cells after 72 h. Annexin V staining indicated dose‐dependent apoptosis, which was further supported by RT‐qPCR data showing upregulation of pro‐apoptotic genes and downregulation of BCL2. Molecular docking studies on CASPASE‐9 (PDB ID: 5JUY) corroborated these findings, with vitamin E displaying a strong binding affinity (−7.8 kJ/mol), suggesting its potential involvement in apoptosis modulation. Overall, the ethanolic extract of P. cognatum effectively induces intrinsic apoptosis in SKOV‐3 ovarian cancer cells, as evidenced by complementary in vitro and in silico analyses.
Yaylım et al. (Thu,) studied this question.