Cytotoxic activity screening of some indigenous Thai plants

doi:10.1016/j.fitote.2008.06.007

Fitoterapia

Volume 79, Issues 7–8, December 2008, Pages 598-601

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fitote.2008.06.007 Get rights and content

Abstract

The 50% ethanolic extracts from 14 plant species used in Thai traditional folklore were screened for cytotoxic activity against a malignant human hepatoma (HepG2) cell line and a normal African green monkey kidney (Vero) cell line. The extracts of Polyalthia evecta and Erythroxylum cuneatum showed potent anticancer activity in the HepG2 cell line with IC₅₀ of 70 ± 3 µg/ml and 64 ± 4 µg/ml, respectively. P. evecta demonstrated more selectivity to the HepG2 than the Vero cell (selectivity index > 14.3) indicating its potential for biopharmaceutical use.

Section snippets

Plants

Fourteen plants, listed in Table 1 were collected during 2002 to 2003 from Khon Kaen Thailand, where is a sanctuary area for Plant Genetics Conservation Project under the Royal Initiation of her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Voucher specimens were deposited in the Center for Research and Development of Herbal Health Products (CRD-HHP), Khon Kaen University, Thailand.

Uses in traditional medicine

See Table 1.

Previously isolated class of constituents

See Table 1.

Tested material

50% Ethanol extracts (yields in Table 2). Stock samples of each extract were dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide at a concentration of 100 mg/ml.

Cytotoxic activity

The stock samples were diluted with Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's Medium (DMEM) to desired concentrations ranging from 62.5 to 1000 µg/ml. The final concentration of DMSO in each sample did not exceed 1%v/v. The cytotoxic activity of the extracts were tested in malignant human hepatoma (HepG2) cell line and normal African green monkey kidney (Vero) cell line by using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method [26] with minor modification. Melphalan was used as a

Results and conclusions

Cytotoxicity results are summarized in Table 2. In consideration of the cytotoxicity and selectivity result, the samples could be classified into 5 categories. Firstly, potentially cytotoxic (IC₅₀ in HepG2 < 100 µg/ml) and high selectivity (SI ≥ 3) are melphalan, P. evecta and E. cuneatum. Secondly, moderate cytotoxic (100 µg/ml < IC₅₀ in HepG2 < 1000 µg/ml) and high selectivity (SI ≥ 3) are P. debilis, C. filiformis and G. cowa. Thirdly, moderate cytotoxic (100 µg/ml < IC₅₀ in HepG2 ≤ 1000 µg/ml) but less

Acknowledgements

Pokpong Prayong is grateful for the Graduate School, Khon Kaen University for the financial support (Grant No. 50111113). The authors thank to the Plant Genetics Conservation Project under the Royal Initiation of her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for permission of conducting the research and to Dr. Chanvit Leelayuwat, Centre for Research and Development of Medical Diagnostic Laboratories (CMDL), Khon Kaen University for providing the cell lines.

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Short reportCytotoxic activity screening of some indigenous Thai plants

Abstract

Section snippets

Plants

Uses in traditional medicine

Previously isolated class of constituents

Tested material

Cytotoxic activity

Results and conclusions

Acknowledgements

Phytochemistry

Int J Food Microbiol

Phytochemistry

Phytochemistry

Phytochemistry

Phytochemistry

Phytochemistry

Phytomedicine

Arch Pharm Res

J Nat Prod

Phytochemistry

J Nat Prod

Planta Med

Short report
Cytotoxic activity screening of some indigenous Thai plants