Phytochemical characterization, cytotoxic effects, and potential oxidative DNA damage-modulating activities of Arum italicum extract

Arum italicum is traditionally utilized in the Thrace region for the treatment of hepatic and dermatological disorders; however, experimental evidence supporting these ethnopharmacological applications remains limited. As oxidative stress-induced DNA damage is an important contributor to the pathogenesis of liver and skin diseases, the aim in the present study was to investigate the ability of A. italicum leaf and tuber extracts to modulate oxidative DNA damage in vitro using nontumorigenic and cancerous hepatic and cutaneous cell models. Phytochemical profiling, antioxidant capacity, and cytotoxic activity were also assessed to support and contextualize the observed DNA damage-related effects.In vitro investigations were conducted using nontumorigenic hepatic (AML12) and keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines, alongside tumorigenic hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep3B) and melanoma (SK-MEL-30) models to evaluate selective bioactivity in relation to phenolic content and antioxidant potential. Crude extracts and hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate (EtOAc), n-butanol, and aqueous fractions obtained from leaf and tuber tissues via liquid–liquid partitioning were analyzed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry.Among the samples tested, phenolic-rich ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fractions exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. In the cytotoxicity assays, cisplatin, used as a positive control, induced nonselective cytotoxicity in both normal and cancer cell lines, whereas EtOAc fractions were noncytotoxic to normal cells while effectively reducing cancer cell viability. The tuber-derived EtOAc fraction maintained 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) levels comparable to the control in hydrogen peroxide-challenged normal cells and reduced intracellular 8‑OHdG levels in cancer cells. In contrast, the leaf-derived fraction predominantly exhibited prooxidant effects.