Phytochemical evaluation and anti-cancer effects against human hepatocellular carcinoma cancer cell lines (hepg2) using extracts from 20 species of araceae
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Date
2003
Authors
Balakrishnan, Venugopal
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Abstract
An in-vitro study was conducted to screen for anti-cancer activity of 20
selected species from 20 genera of Araceae family. The 80% methanolic extracts of
all the species were tested against human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cell line
and cell survival was determined by methylene blue assay. All the plant extracts
exhibited dose-dependent inhibition on the growth of HepG2 cell line. The most
significant inhibition was produced by Alocasia macrorrihiza extract with EC50 value
of 15.11 11g/ml. In addition, three other extracts that have been identified as potential
anti-cancer agents are from Amydrium media, Ariseama waryi and Scindapsus aureus.
Alocasia macrorrihiza extract was fractionated using three different organic solvents
i.e. hexane, chloroform and 80% (v/v) methanol. Only hexane and chloroform
fractions of A. macrorrihiza exhibited significant cytotoxicity on HepG2 cells with
EC50 value of 11.018 f.Lg/ml and 4.217 f.Lg/ml, respectively. The chloroform extract
were subsequently fractionated and from the 17 fractions obtained, fraction F8 was
considered the most potent fraction with EC50 value of 3.695 f.Lg/ml against HepG2
cancer cells. Phytochemical evaluation was conducted on the 80% methanolic extracts
of 20 species including Fraction F8. It was found that the compounds such as
monoterpene, diterpene, triterpene, alkaloid, flavonoid, saponin and steroid are
present in the extracts. All the 20 species including the extract of hexane, chloroform
and 80% methanol of A. macrorrihiza plus the fraction F8 were tested for general
toxicity against brine shrimp (Artemia salina) lethality bioassay. The result showed
that 16 extracts were relatively non-toxic to brine shrimp (LC50 > 1 mg/ml). The 80%
methanolic extract of Acarus calamus and A. macrorriniza exhibited the highest LCso
with 0.5479 mg/ml for acute toxicity which is more toxic than potassium dichromate
(positive control), LC5o =ยท 0.5723 mg/ml. The lowest acute toxicity was shown by
Cryptocoryne minima with LC50 = 6.3873 mg/ml. The highest chronic toxicity with
LC50 of 0.3908 mg/ml was shown by A. calamus while the lowest chronic toxicity
with LCso of 4.8041 mg/ml was shown by C. minima. The fraction F8 produced lower
toxicity (acute LCso= 4.1795 mg/ml and chronic LC50= 3.4660 mg/ml) in comparison
to the crude extract of A. macrorrihiza. The study confirmed that A. calamus was the
most toxic plant while C. minima was the most non-toxic plant among the 20 species.
DeadEnd Colorimetric Apoptosis Detection System and DNA Fragmentation ELISA
indicated that the chloroform extract and fraction F8 killed HepG2 cells via apoptosis.
In conclusion, the results suggested fraction F8 can be developed as a potential anticancer
agent with low toxicity and triggered cell death via apoptosis mechanism in
HepG2 cells.
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Keywords
Evaluation and anti-cancer , Human hepatocellular , Cancer cell lines , 20 species