Antioxidant properties, anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity and hepatotoxicity of artichoke, milk thistle and borututu

- Infusions showed more biological activity than dietary supplements.
- Borututu infusion gave the highest antioxidant activity.
- Borututu infusion revealed anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity without toxicity.
- Artichoke infusion presented the highest anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity with toxicity.
- The bioactive properties were positively correlated with phenolics/flavonoids content.

Cynara scolymus (artichoke), Silybum marianum (milk thistle) and Cochlospermum angolensis (borututu) are three plants widely used regarding hepatoprotective effects but to the best of our knowledge no anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity has been studied in the most consumed forms: infusions and dietary supplements. Herein, antioxidant properties, anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity and toxicity of infusions and dietary supplements of the mentioned plants were evaluated and compared. All the samples revealed antioxidant properties with EC50 values lower than the daily recommended dose, but infusions showed higher biological activity than dietary supplements. Borututu infusion gave the highest antioxidant activity (EC50 ≤ 170 μg/mL), and also revealed anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity (GI50 = 146 μg/mL) without toxicity in non-tumour liver cells (GI50 > 400 μg/mL). Artichoke infusion also presented antitumour activity (GI50 = 52 μg/mL) but with toxicity for normal cells at a higher concentration (GI50 = 72 μg/mL). The antioxidant and antitumour properties were positively correlated with phenolics and flavonoids content. Overall, among the three studied species, borututu infusion proved to be the most complete sample regarding antioxidant and anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity.