Identification cytotoxicity and wound healing effects of various extracts of Sanguisorba minor Scop. seeds

The genus Sanguisorba comprises species within the Rosaceae family, indigenous to Asia, Western Europe, and North America [ 1 ]. Plants of the Sanguisorba genus, originating from the Latin terms “sanguis” (blood) and “sorbere” (to suck), which signifies the cessation of bleeding, have traditionally been utilised for this purpose [ 2 ]. This study examined the cytotoxicity and wound healing effects of extracts with varying polarity derived from seeds of the Sanguisorba minor Scop. Fractional extracts of chloroform, ethanol (96%), and distilled water were obtained from S. minor seeds via a Soxhlet apparatus. The phenolic compounds included in the resultant extracts were identified using LC-MS/MS analysis of 32 distinct reference compounds. According to the analysis results, the extracts carry 19 different compounds, including vanillin and gallic acid as main compounds in different proportions. The anticancer effects of the extracts on SH-SY human neuroblastoma cells were examined using the MTT test. The water extract exhibited cytotoxic activity with an IC 50 value of 214.3 μg/mL; however, no significant results were seen for the chloroform and ethanol extracts. The therapeutic effects of all extracts on in vitro wound healing in L929 cell lines were examined. While the chloroform extract killed the cells in a short time, the water exract showed a rapid wound closure compared to the control group. This research is the initial investigation into the wound healing properties of the S. minor and constitutes the first unique study on the cytotoxicity and wound healing effects of its seed extracts. Furthermore, additional in vitro and in vivo investigations are required for wound healing and cytotoxicity. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany