Cytotoxic Properties of Methanolic Extracts from Quercus Infectoria and Terminalia Chebula on A549 and PC12 Cancer Cell Lines: A Comparative Study Based on

Introduction: Quercus infectoria and Terminalia chebula are traditional medicinal plants in the Middle East, known for their significant therapeutic properties. This study aimed to investigate the cytotoxic effects of tannin-rich and tannin-free methanolic extracts, derived from these plants, on A549 (human lung adenocarcinoma) and PC12 (mouse pheochromocytoma) cell lines. Methods: The extracts were prepared from air-dried plant tissues using a maceration technique. Cytotoxicity was assessed using four different concentrations (1, 10, 50, and 100 µg/mL) using Trypan Blue and WST-1 assays. The half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) were determined for both cell lines. Results: The IC50 values revealed that Quercus infectoria exhibited stronger cytotoxic activity compared to T. Chebula. In A549 cells, Quercus infectoria showed IC50 values of 80 µg/mL (tannin-rich) and 102 µg/mL (tannin-free), whereas Terminalia chebula demonstrated 104 µg/mL (tannin-rich) and 111 µg/mL (tannin-free). For PC12 cells, the IC50 values for Quercus infectoria were 68 µg/mL (tannin-rich) and 103 µg/mL (tannin-free), while Terminalia chebula recorded 80 µg/mL (tannin-rich) and 129 µg/mL (tannin-free). Conclusion: This study confirms that tannin-rich extracts exhibited greater cytotoxic effects than their tannin-free counterparts, emphasizing the role of tannins in influencing anticancer activity. The findings suggest that tannin-mediated toxicity is a key factor in the observed differences, providing valuable insights into the mechanistic contributions of tannins to cancer cell suppression, which warrants further research into their bioactive mechanisms.