Evaluation of Anticancer and Antioxidant Activities (In Vitro Studies) of Coffee Stem Parasite Extract [Scurrula ferruginea (Roxb. ex Jack) Danser] and In Silico Studies of its Isolate

Objectives: The coffee parasite Scurrula ferruginea (Roxb. ex Jack) Danser has been shown to exhibit various biological activities. Based on previous pharmacological studies, coffee parasites are effective for treating cancer or cytotoxicity and are vasorelaxant. The aim of this study was to examine the potential of the worm S. ferruginea (Roxb. ex Jack): danser on coffee stems as a natural anticancer. Materials and Methods: In silico and in vitro studies have been conducted on coffee stem parasite extracts to analyze compounds that have the potential to act as human epidermal growth factor 2 (HER2) inhibitors, the antioxidant activity of the extract, and the extract's ability to act as an anticancer agent against HeLa and MCF-7 cells. Results: The results show that several components of the coffee stem parasite extract, including flavonoids and fatty acids, have the potential to act as HER2 inhibitors. The coffee stem parasite extract has strong antioxidant activity with an IC50 of 59,736 ppm and it is inactive against cancer cells. Characterization using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed the presence of bis (2-Ethylhexyl) phthalate (C24H38O4) in the coffee stem parasite extract, which is toxic as an anticancer drug. Conclusion: Although coffee stem parasite extract does not function as an anti-cancer agent, its strong antioxidant activity has potential for other applications.