Background: Flowers of
Bauhinia kockiana
were investigated for their anticancer properties.
Methods: Gallic acid (
1), and methyl gallate (
2), were isolated
via bioassay-directed isolation, and they exhibited anticancer properties towards
several cancer cell lines, examined using MTT cell viability assay. Pyrogallol (
3) was examined against the same cancer cell lines to deduce the
bioactive functional group of the phenolic compounds.
Results: The results showed that the phenolic compounds could exhibit moderate to weak cytotoxicity towards certain cell lines (GI
50 30 - 86 μM),
but were inactive towards DU145 prostate cancer cell (GI
50 > 100 μM).
Conclusion: It was observed that pyrogallol moiety was one of the essential functional structures of the phenolic compounds in exhibiting anticancer
activity. Also, the carboxyl group of compound
1 was also important in anticancer activity. Examination of the PC-3 cells treated with compound
1
using fluorescence microscopy showed that PC-3 cells were killed
by apoptosis.