# Potential Anticancer Activities of the Thai Traditional Medicinal Recipe Santakatpuakaln Against Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

## TL;DR

A traditional Thai herbal medicine called Santakatpuakaln shows promise in killing colorectal and liver cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

## Contribution

This study provides the first in vitro evidence of Santakatpuakaln's anticancer effects against colorectal and liver cancer cells.

## Key findings

- STK showed significant cytotoxicity against CRC and liver cancer cell lines.
- STK induced apoptosis and inhibited tumor spheroid growth and cell migration.
- STK was non-toxic to noncancerous colonic epithelial cells.

## Abstract

Traditional Thai herbal medicine has been used for centuries to treat various diseases, including cancer. One notable formulation, Santakatpuakaln (STK), has been employed to manage cancers, particularly of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, such as liver and colorectal cancers (CRCs). Despite its historical use, scientific validation of its efficacy and safety remains vastly limited. In this study, we prepared an ethanol extract of STK and evaluated its anticancer properties in vitro. STK demonstrated significant cytotoxic activity against CRC cell lines (HCT15, NCI‐H508, HT29, and HCT116) and the liver cancer cell line HepG2 while sparing noncancerous colonic epithelial cells (FHC), suggesting a potential therapeutic window. The cytotoxic activity of STK was accompanied by apoptosis. Additionally, STK inhibited tumor spheroid growth and suppressed HCT116 cell migration in transwell assays, indicating both cytotoxic and antimigratory effects. These findings support the traditional use of STK in cancer management and warrant further investigation into its active compounds, mechanisms of action, and therapeutic potential.