A broad-spectrum biological activities of Heracleum humile extracts: A first report of the antiviral, anti-cancer and chemical properties

The current work focused on researching the bioactive potential of ethyl acetate (EA), methanol (MeOH), and water extract of H. humile plant, specifically ethyl acetate, methanol extracts were acquired with maceration method, and water extract was obtained by the infusion method. The highest total phenolic ingredient was determined in the water extract, while the highest total flavonoid ingredient was found in the MeOH extract. The water extract displayed the most potent antioxidant activity in the assays used. The ethyl acetate extract showed the highest enzyme inhibition activity in Butyrylcholinesterase inhibition (BChE) and amylase assay. Antibacterial efficiency was analyzed using microdilution analysis. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) amounts ranged from 125 to 500 μg/mL except for water extract. The antiviral potential of the extracts was assessed against Bovine herpes virus 1 (BoHV-1) (Cooper strain). Methanol extract showed more potent antiviral effect. Selectivity indices were calculated for ethyl acetate and methanol extract as 3.32 and 13.39, respectively. All extracts displayed Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) protection activity at approximately 25%–35%. For cell viability evaluation, 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) test was performed against triple-negative human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MDA-MB-231) and Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7) cells. The most effective results were found in ethyl acetate extract at 48h. The 50% inhibitor concentrations (IC50) were determined for MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 as 116.7 μg/mL and 247.9 μg/mL, respectively. Based on the bioactive compound content results, extracts of H. humile include valuable compounds that possess significant biological properties. In conclusion, these extracts could offer promising novel plant-derived therapeutics.