In vitro experiments, LC-MS profiling, and in silico studies reveal anti-hepatocellular carcinoma properties of Canna indica L.

Abstract

Hepatocellular carcinoma is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide, highlighting the urgent need for early detection and effective treatment. Consequently, there is a pressing demand to develop alternative drugs from natural sources. In our study, we investigated the rhizome of Canna indica as a potential resource for drug development. We assessed the anti-proliferative efficacy of the methanolic extract of the rhizome against Hep G2 liver cancer cell lines and normal cells. Our observations indicated that the extract exhibited specific anti-proliferative effects against the liver cancer cells. These results prompted us to conduct LC-MS-based metabolomic profiling of the extract, which revealed a predominance of alkaloids and phenolic compounds. Furthermore, in silico docking studies demonstrated that cadabicine methyl ether, mahanimbinol, ganoderic acid F, and cassythine exhibited strong binding affinities with key proteins involved in hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, we conclude that the rhizome of Canna indica is a promising source for the development of liver cancer therapeutics.