Preferential anti-proliferative activity of Varthemia iphionoides (Chiliadenus iphinoides)

The present study was aimed at investigating the anti-cancer properties of the unique chemotype of Varthemia iphionoides (V. iphionoides) growing in the Judaea region (Israel). Specifically, we determined the effects of the crude ethanolic extract of V. iphionoides on the growth and viability of human cancer cell lines (SKOV3 ovarian carcinoma cells, BG melanoma cells, A549 lung cancer cells, and HL-60 myeloblastic leukemia cells). We found that the extract exhibited much stronger in vitro anti-leukemic effects on the HL-60 cells than the other cell lines tested. Importantly, both polyphenol- and flavonoid-containing fractions prepared from the extract significantly reduced the proliferation of HL-60 cells, but only the flavonoid fraction produced cytotoxic effects as well. These results suggest that V. iphionoides extract and its active components have potential therapeutic and/or preventive activity against acute myeloid leukemia.