Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Activity of Some Brazilian Medicinal Plants

Abstract

Plants are promising sources of new bioactive compounds. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic potential of nine plants found in Brazil. The species studied were: Annona pickelii Diels (Annonaceae), Annona salzmannii A. DC. (Annonaceae), Guatteria blepharophylla Mart. (Annonaceae), Guatteria hispida (R. E. Fr.) Erkens & Maas (Annonaceae), Hancornia speciosa Gomes (Apocynaceae), Jatropha curcas L. (Euphorbiaceae), Kielmeyera rugosa Choisy (Clusiaceae), Lippia gracilis Schauer (Verbenaceae), and Hyptis calida Mart. Ex Benth (Lamiaceae). Different types of extractions from several parts of plants resulted in 43 extracts. Their cytotoxicity was tested against HCT-8 (colon carcinoma), MDA-MB-435 (melanoma), SF-295 (glioblastoma), and HL-60 (promielocitic leukemia) human tumor cell lines, using the thiazolyl blue test (MTT) assay. The active extracts were those obtained from G. blepharophylla, G. hispida, J. curcas, K. rugosa, and L. gracilis. In addition, seven compounds isolated from the active extracts were tested; among them, β-pinene found in G. hispida and one coumarin isolated from K. rugora showed weak cytotoxic activity. In summary, this manuscript contributes to the understanding of the potentialities of Brazilian plants as sources of new anticancer drugs.

Toxicity of Jatropha curcas L. latex in Allium cepa test

“…Ribeiro et al (2012) tested the leaves cytotoxicity in human tumor cell lines using the thiazolyl blue test (MTT) assay and observed significant cell mortality. Despite the high mortality, the mechanism responsible for the cytotoxic activity has not been investigated yet.…”

Characterization, antioxidant potential and cytotoxic study of mangaba fruits

“…(Figure 1). Investigating specifi c tumors (colon carcinoma, melanoma, glioblastoma and leukemia promielocitic), RIBEIRO et al (2012) reported that mangaba would not be active. This does not mean that the extract of mangaba is also inactive for other/ all forms of tumor.…”

“…This does not mean that the extract of mangaba is also inactive for other/ all forms of tumor. While RIBEIRO et al (2012) used leaves, branches, fruit and latex, this study used the whole mature. Furthermore, the process of extraction and concentration used were different, which may have affected the concentration of active substances.…”

Phytochemical screening and evaluation of cytotoxicity of stem bark extracts of <i>Anaxagorea dolichocarpa</i> and <i>Duguetia chrysocarpa</i> (Annonaceae)

“…Extracts of Annona pickelli and Annona salzmannii did not show any expressive antiproliferative effect. In these species, it seems therefore that associations of compounds or the minor compounds are responsible for their cytotoxic activity [22]. The presence of acetogenins identified as the major constituents of some Annonaceae species could explain the anticancer activity observed for Annona crassiflora and Xylopia aromatica [23].…”