Abstract

Prompak is a traditional Thai polyherbal remedy for curing symptoms found in gastrointestinal (GI) cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer potentials of individual ingredients of Prompak, i.e., Myristica fragrans, Euphorbia antiquorum, Piper nigrum, Aloe vera, Ferula assa-foetida, Moringa oleifera, and camphor. Sulforhodamine B assay was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity of each ingredient against KATO-III, LS 174T, HepG2 cancer cells, and HaCaT normal cells. The antioxidant activity of each herb was examined using ABTS and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. The ethanolic extract of E. antiquorum showed the highest cytotoxicity with the most considerable selectivity against HepG2, KATO-III, and LS 174T cells (selective index = 104.40, 88.25, and 12.47, respectively). M. fragrans and A. vera were the only herbs showing great antioxidant activities in both ABTS and DPPH models. The ethanolic extracts from M. fragrans seeds and aril exhibited similar effects in either DPPH (EC<inf>50</inf> = 14.23 vs. 13.41 µg/mL) or ABTS assays (EC<inf>50</inf> = 16.35 vs. 12.44 µg/mL). A. vera latex inhibited DPPH and ABTS radicals with EC<inf>50</inf> of 8.64 and 28.13 µg/mL, respectively. This data suggest that E. antiquorum may function as the main anticancer ingredient, while M. fragrans and A. vera may prevent cancer progression through their antioxidant capabilities. These findings, therefore, explain and support using Prompak as a polyherbal remedy for treating GI cancer and preventing cancer progression. However, comprehensive studies are required to identify the main active ingredients and ascertain the efficacy and safety of Prompak in pre-clinical and clinical investigations.