The incidence of cancer is rising globally. In this study, the cytotoxic effects of Alcea rosea L., hexane seed (ARHS) extract were examined against liver (HuH-7) and breast (MDA-MB-231) human cancer cell lines, as well as non-cancerous HUVEC cell line. The ARHS extract displayed dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on HuH-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells, with respective IC and 5.67 μg/mL. Additionally, the ARHS extract impeded the migration of HuH-7 cells in a time-dependent fashion. Morphological assessments showed characteristics indicative of apoptosis in the treated cells. ARHS extract induced ROS production in HuH-7 cells. This study revealed that the A. rosea hexane extract effectively inhibited HuH-7 cell growth by inducing apoptosis, as evidenced by the changes in cell and nuclear morphology observed using DAPI and AO/EBr staining. Heptadeca-8,11-dien-1-yl demonstrated the highest docking score, forming three hydrogen bonds with the amino acids ARG-842A, ALA-1050A, and ASP-1052A in the 4ASD receptor. Although it has potential as an anticancer agent, additional research is needed to explore the in vivo anticancer efficacy.
KEY WORDS: Alcea rosea; cytotoxicity; apoptosis; molecular docking.
