Phenolic Composition, Wound Healing, Antinociceptive, and Anticancer Effects of Caralluma europaea Extracts

Abstract

<i>Caralluma europaea</i> (Guss.) is an important medicinal plant widely used in Morocco for various traditional purposes. Our work aimed to evaluate the phenolic composition, wound healing, antinociceptive, and anticancer activities of <i>C. europaea</i> extracts. Moreover, this study assessed the beneficial effect of <i>C. europaea</i> phytocompounds on the TRADD, cyclooxegenase-2, Wnt/β-catenin, and tyrosine kinase signaling pathways. The wound healing effect of <i>C. europaea</i> formulations against skin burn was evaluated for 21 days. The cytotoxic effect of the <i>C. europaea</i> extracts was evaluated against human leukemic (K562 and HL60) and liver cancer cell lines (Huh-7) using the MTT test. All the phytoconstituents identified by UHPLC in the polyphenols were docked for their inhibitory power on protein casein kinase-1, glycogen synthase kinase-3-β, cyclooxegenase-2, tyrosine kinase, and TRADD. Luteolin and kaempferol are the main compounds identified in <i>C. europaea</i> polyphenols. The group treated with polyphenols showed the greatest wound contractions and all tested extracts presented a significant antinociceptive effect. Polyphenols showed a remarkable antitumoral activity against the K562, HL60 and Huh-7 cell lines. Saponins exerted an important cytotoxic effect against the Huh-7 cell line, whereas no cytotoxicity was observed for the hydroethanolic and flavonoids extracts. Hesperetin and trimethoxyflavone presented the highest docking G-score on tyrosine kinase and cyclooxygenase, respectively.