Investigation of the Dual Role of Scorzonera pygmaea: Cytotoxic Activity and Antioxidant Potential

Abstract

Scorzonera pygmaea, an indigenous plant of western Anatolia, belongs to the Scorzonera genus, which includes various species recognized for their edible and medicinal properties. This study is aimed at investigating the phenolic composition of S. pygmaea; evaluating its antioxidant, cytotoxic, apoptotic, and genotoxic activities; and assessing the impact of S. pygmaea on the expression of cell cycle regulatory genes. HPLC-DAD analysis identified chlorogenic acid as the predominant phenolic compound, potentially linking plant to dietary benefits. The antioxidant potential, evaluated using DPPH radical scavenging and CUPRAC assays, yielded an IC50 value of $63.53\pm 6.29$  μg/ml and a Trolox equivalent of $0.061\pm 0.013$  g/g, respectively. To assess antigrowth activity, the S. pygmaea extract was tested against MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell lines, along with the nonmalignant MCF-10A cell line, using sulforhodamine B and ATP cell viability assays. The results exhibited highly consistent IC50 values of 104.63, 179.27, and 90.83 μg/ml, respectively. Notably, the S. pygmaea extract induced apoptosis in all cell lines, with MDA-MB-231 cells displaying a higher percentage of early apoptotic cells under fluorescence microscopy. The comet assay revealed that S. pygmaea extract induced DNA damage in all cell lines, with MCF-7 and MCF-10A cells showing an accumulation of DNA damage over time. Gene expression analysis revealed significant alterations in cell cycle regulators, with each cell line displaying distinct and time-dependent patterns after exposure to S. pygmaea. Collectively, these findings underscore the cytotoxic, apoptotic, and genotoxic activities of S. pygmaea while simultaneously emphasizing its antioxidant potential, especially given its high chlorogenic acid content. The dual role of S. pygmaea, evidenced by its cytotoxic and antioxidant properties, suggests the potential for further exploration of its utilization within the food industry as a possible dietary resource, while necessitating further studies to fully understand its implications.