Anticancer Activity from Stem Bark of Nauclea subdita Nanoliposomes Extract on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells: In vitro and In silico Study

Abstrak

Breast cancer caused many deaths in Indonesia in 2022, and although chemotherapy is commonly used for treatment, it often leads to serious side effects. Natural alternatives such as Bangkal (Nauclea subdita), which contains alkaloids with potential anticancer properties, may offer milder side effects. Studies have shown that Bangkal (Nauclea subdita) stem bark extract can inhibit the growth of cancer cells like LNCaP and PC-3. However, natural compounds usually face challenges such as low bioavailability and poor solubility, which can limit their effectiveness. This study investigates alkaloids in Bangkal (Nauclea subdita) stem bark as anti-breast cancer agents targeting MCF-7 cells and develops them into nanoliposome form to improve their effectiveness. A total of 960 grams of Bangkal (Nauclea subdita) stem bark powder was macerated with n-hexane, followed by dichloromethane extraction after being treated with ammonia solution. The extracts were analyzed using LC-MS. Nanoliposomes were prepared via thin-layer hydration and characterized using PSA. In vitro tests included MTT and co-combination assays, while molecular docking was used for in silico analysis. Results indicate that the alkaloids atropine, funtumine, vasicinol, oxymatrine, and evodiamine effectively inhibit Bcl-2 protein expression more than HER2. The optimal nanoliposome formula (F3) had a particle size of 148 nm, PDI of 0.673, and zeta potential of -41.3. The IC₅₀ value of the crude extract (361.5 μg/mL), initially categorized as weak, improved to a moderate level (188.18 μg/mL) after formulation into a nanoliposome preparation. These findings indicate that Bangkal (Nauclea subdita) stem bark can be developed into a nanoliposome formulation and shows potential as an anticancer agent based on both in vitro and in silico studies.Keywords: Nauclea subdita, alkaloids, nanoliposome, breast cancer, MCF-7.