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Abstract

The demand for herbal medicines is growing at a drastic rate due to their improved pharmacological actions, minimal side effects, and costeffectiveness. The ever-increasing cost of chemotherapy ruined the economic stability of many families. This led to the discovery of herbal medicines for cancer treatment. Tribes of Western Ghats have been using the roots of Apama siliquosa for cytotoxic activity. The methanolic and aqueous root extracts of Apama siliquosa Lamk were used to prepare different concentrations. These different dilutions of extract were used to carry out brine shrimp lethality assay & the LC 50 value was determined. Cell line study by MTT assay using cancerous cell line (MCF7 cells-human breast adenocarcinoma cells) & LC 50 value was determined. GCMS study on plant extract was carried out. The methanolic extract shows the presence of Caryophyllene oxide (m/z 220) methyl ester of Aristolochic acid I (m/z 355), Aristolactam I (m/z 295). Aristo lactam II (m/z 265), and Aristo lactam III (m/z 281). The aqueous extract shows the presence of Aristo lactam I (m/z 280). Aristo lactam II (m/z 264). Caryophyllene oxide and Aristolochic acids are terpene and alkaloid, respectively. LC 50 value for aqueous and methanolic extract was found to be 102.32µg/ml & 91.20µg/ml respectively by brine shrimp lethality assay and the same by MTT assay was found to be 117.527µg/ml & 87.4056µg/ml respectively for breast cancer cell line (MCF7 cells). These led to the conclusion that both extracts showed excellent toxicity to the naupli and mild toxicity to cell lines.