Bioassay-guided Fractionation, LC/MS Analysis and in Vitro Cytotoxic Activity of Eriocaulon cinereum R. Br on T47D Breast Cancer Cells

In this study, we examined the cytotoxic activity of Eriocaulon cinereum R.Br. against breast cancer T47D cells and normal Vero cells. The plant material of E. cinereum was extracted with n-hexane followed by a series of extraction with ethyl acetate and finally with methanol. The ethyl acetate extract was then fractionated with dichloromethane and ethyl acetate. The dichloromethane fraction was concentrated, then fractionate using a preparative TLC. The subfractions obtained probably contained terpenoids (SF1), flavonoids (SF2), and steroids (SF3) as the three major compounds based on staining reagent and MS identifications. Later, the subfractions; SF1‒SF3 were subjected to cytotoxic activity on breast cancer T47D cells. The result showed that the IC₅₀ values against T47D cells are 84.8 ± 7.8, 89.7 ± 3.4, and 135 ± 12 μg/mL, respectively. In contrast, IC₅₀ values against Vero cells were > 300 µg/mL for all compounds. Among them, the SF1 subfraction shown the good cytotoxic activity compared to other subfractions and has the potential to be further developed.