Fairuz Sarah Kamila’s research while affiliated with University of Brawijaya and other places

Breast cancer remains a major public health challenge, highlighting the importance of finding new therapeutic approaches, including the use of traditional plants with unstudied medicinal properties. This study aims to explore the bioactive potential of Tinospora cordifolia stem extract by investigating the content of flavonoids, phenols, terpenoids and alkaloids as well as the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects on T47D breast cancer cells. Analysis of bioactive compound content revealed a total flavonoid content of 29.7 ± 0.30 mg QE/g extract, a total phenol content of 120.4 ± 4.25 mg GAE/g extract, a total terpenoid content of 2.41 ± 2.18 mg LE/g extract and a total alkaloid content of 2.55 ± 0.27 mg LE/g extract. Cytotoxicity tests on T47D cells using the WST-1 assay showed a dosedependent decrease in cell viability with an IC50 of 571.3 ± 33.41 µg/ml. Furthermore, at a concentration of 2IC50, T. cordifolia stem extract can induce apoptosis by 36.7 ± 4.19%. These results suggest that T. cordifolia has considerable anticancer activity, although further studies are needed to understand its mechanism of action and evaluate its potential in breast cancer therapy.

Excessive inflammation, driven by macrophage activation and nitric oxide (NO) production, underlies various diseases. This study investigates the anti-inflammatory potential of bungur (Lagerstroemia speciosa L.) leaf extract. We characterized its phytochemical profile and evaluated the effects using in silico approaches. Bungur leaves (L. speciosa L.) were extracted using MAE extraction and subjected to phenol, flavonoid, terpenoid, alkaloid content and antioxidant DPPH assay. The compound profile was analyzed using LC-HRMS. Identified compounds were screened in silico for drug-likeness, bioactivity, and membrane permeability. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to evaluate the interaction and stability of selected compounds with TLR4/MD2 complex. This study demonstrated that bungur leaf extract exhibited higher levels of phenolic and flavonoid compounds than terpenoids and alkaloids. This finding was confirmed by the LC-HRMS analysis, which revealed a dominance of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the extract. The extract also showed excellent DPPH antioxidant activity, as evidenced by its low IC50 value. In silico studies identified luteolin, luteolin 7-sulfate, and quercetin as the three best compounds, which acted as potent competitive inhibitors of TLR4 activation. Therefore, compounds contained in bungur leaf exhibited promising anti-inflammatory activity through TLR4 inhibition.

Blumea balsamifera (Bb) is a plant used as herbal medicine in Southeast Asia, and it has been used due to its antibacterial, antiinflammatory, anticancer, etc. However, there is currently limited evidence that Bb leaf extract from Batu, Indonesia, contains beneficial compounds against breast cancer. Hence, this study evaluates the active compounds in extract and their potential as therapeutic agents for breast cancer. The total phenolic and flavonoid content was determined based on quantified colourimetry analysis followed by DPPH assay to evaluate antioxidant activity and phytochemicals screening in the extract, which was characterised by LC-HRMS analysis. Furthermore, computational methods are used to predict the pharmacological properties of compounds in the extract, particularly against breast cancer. The results showed a total phenolic content of 103.85+1.5 mgGAE/g and a total flavonoid content of 225.99+17.68 mgQE/g, with an antioxidant activity of 255.17+13.11µg/mL. 11 compounds were identified, but only four (Aurantio-obtusin, Isorhamnetin, Quercetin, and Hemiphloin) were computationally analysed. Molecular docking and dynamics simulation indicate that these phytochemicals bind to their target, possibly limiting their activity. Therefore, Bb has potential as a natural product remedy for breast cancer and contributes significantly to our knowledge of the plant by providing essential data for its future development.