GC-MS analysis of phytochemical composition and anticancer activities of methanol and aqueous extracts of Bergenia ligulata rhizome

Bergenia ligulata is an important medicinal plant used in traditional systems of medicine for its diuretic, antilithiatic, antidiabetic, antibacterial, and anticancer properties. This study aimed to investigate the chemical composition of methanolic and aqueous extracts of Bergenia ligulata rhizome and assess their anticancer activities against various cancer cell lines. The investigation entailed Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) for phytochemical analysis, the MTT assay for cytotoxicity assessment, and DAPI staining for nuclear morphological analysis. GC-MS analysis revealed 45 phytochemical constituents in methanol extract and 35 in aqueous extract, with each extract containing six major phytoconstituents. Dihydro-3-methylene-5-methyl-2-furanone (alpha-Methylene-gamma-valerolactone), oleic acid, and n-Hexadecanoic acid were identified as the common constituents in both the extracts. The cytotoxic evaluation demonstrated potent antiproliferative effects of both extracts against tested cancer cells and biocompatibility with HEK-293 cells. Additionally, methanolic and aqueous extracts induced nuclear fragmentation and condensation in T24 cells. These findings underscore the presence of diverse phytoconstituents in B. ligulata and suggest its potential as a natural anticancer agent. Further research is warranted to explore the anticancer activities of the main bioactive compounds in B. ligulata rhizome extracts and to elucidate their possible molecular mechanism of action in different cancers.