Purification and Fractionation of Phenolic Compounds In Medicinal Herbs and Evaluation of Their Anticancer Activities

Many herbs have been long used in folk medicines for the treatment of a number of disease conditions. More and more recent studies have supported the potential health benefits of herbs. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the anticancer activity of five herb species and identify their major active ingredients.  The herb species evaluated include: thyme (Thymus vulgaris), sage (Salvia officinalis), rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis), peppermint (Mentha piperita), and spearmint (Mentha spicata).  The anticancer activity was assessed under in vitro conditions using a SW-480 colon cancer cell line.  Phenolic compounds were extracted and further purified using a Buchi flash chromatography system with a fraction collector and a UV photometer.  Results have shown that herb extracts can significantly inhibit cancer cell growth.  Among the crude extracts, sage showed the highest inhibitory effect with a 50% inhibition observed at the level of 36 µg/mL.  Phenolic compounds in sage were further separated and purified.  The anticancer activities of major phenolic fractions were screened under in vitro conditions.  The fraction with the highest bioactivity was identified.