Evaluation of the anticancer potential of secondary metabolites from Pseudevernia furfuracea based on epidermal growth factor receptor inhibition

UHPLC/ESI/MS/MS profiling followed by bioactivity guided isolation of Pseudevernia furfuracea (P. furfuracea) extract yielded two polyphenolic molecules, Methyl haematommate (PF-1) and Atraric acid (PF-2). These molecules were evaluated for bioactivity against five cancerous cell lines. The results revealed that atraric acid showed significant activity against ovarian cancer cell line (PA-1) having GI50 at 16.42 mg/mL and moderate activity against the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7), having GI50 at 64.35 mg/mL. The results were further supported by in silico molecular docking stud- ies of atraric acid with the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase protein. The study revealed that atraric acid has the capacity to act as a potential EGFR inhibitor via occu- pying the ATP binding pocket of EGFR and making favourable electrostatic interactions and van der Waals interaction with its key residues. Our results highlight P. furfuracea and its poly- phenolic compound, atraric acid as a promising candidate for ovarian cancer management