In Vitro Toxicity Studies on the Extract of Medicinal Plant Evolvulus Nummularius as a Potent Microbicidal Candidate

Abstract

The herb Evolvulus nummularius (L). L generally grown as an ornamental plant has found many applications in traditional folk medicine. There was however insufficient scientific data to back its safety to be used on humans. Methanolic extract of E. nummularius was used to check for its safety as a vaginal microbicide through various safety tests such as cell viability using MTT assay on three female genital tract epithelial cell lines, vaginal (VK2/E6E7), endocervical (End1/E6E7) and endometrial (HEC-1-A). Quantification of hemolytic activity was done on human red blood cells (RBCs). Determination of cellular integrity was checked by transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) assay and permeability by fluorescent microsphere assay. At 24 hours, application of the extract for cell viability assay showed extensive cell death with cell disruption. IC 50 of VK2/E6E7 and HEC-1-A cells were found to be 2 mg/ml, IC 50 of End1/E6E7 was 1 mg/ml. For hemolytic assay, with treatment of the extract for one hour did not show hemolysis till the concentration of 2.5mg/ml. In TER and microsphere permeability assays, polarized HEC-1-A monolayer 24 hours post treatment had significant drop in TER and enhanced fluorescence from passage of microspheres implying disruption of the epithelial monolayer. The study revealed that the crude methanolic extract appeared to be toxic towards human RBCs and female genital tract epithelial cells. Due to its toxic nature, its direct applications to the human vaginal tissue in vivo should be done with caution.

Ethnopharmacological Survey of Medicinal Plants Used by Traditional Health Practitioners and Indigenous People in Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh for the Treatment of Dysentery

“…138 β-boswellic acid isolated from the flowers of Calotropis gigantean showed cytotoxic activity against A431 (human vulval-derived epidermoid carcinoma) cell line when compared with standard drug doxorubicin. 139 Mullick 140 reported that the crude methanolic extract of E. nummularius appeared to be toxic towards human RBCs and female genital tract epithelial cells. The anticancer principles of S. asper have been recognized as strebloside and mansonin, which showed significant activity in KB cell culture system 141 and the volatile oil from the fresh leaves has additionally shown significant anti-cancer activity.…”