Submit Manuscript

International Journal of Cancer Research

Year: 2008 | Volume: 4 | Issue: 3 | Page No.: 103-109
Research Article

Cytotoxic Potential on Breast Cancer Cells Using Selected Forest Species Found in Malaysia

A.S. Nor Aini
Department of Forest Production, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia
A. Merrina
Department of Forest Production, Faculty of Forestry, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400, Seri Kembangan, Selangor, Malaysia
J. Stanslas
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Selangor, Malaysia
S. Sreeramanan
School of Biological Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Minden, 11800, Penang, Malaysia
In vitro studies were carried out to evaluate the cytotoxic potential of three selected forest herbaceous species: Tectaria singaporeana (TS), Blechnum orientale (BO) and Tacca integrifolia (TCI). Methanol/methylene chloride extracts of three plant parts viz. leaves, roots and stems were assessed for their cytotoxic potential against human breast cancer cells (MCF-7wt.). Screening of these extracts was done using the microculture, followed by tetrazolium assay after a period of 72 h. There were significant differences between different parts of plants and dilution levels in terms of cytotoxicity, with roots and concentration of 100 μg mL-1 showing the highest cell mortality of 19.58 and 36.59%, respectively. However, the leaves and the stems of all three plant species did not induce any cytotoxic activity on the cells. Overall, the most promising material (IC50 <100 μg mL-1) were the methanolic extracts from the roots of all three plants. Tectaria singaporeana showed the highest cytotoxic potential with an IC50 value of 28.57 ± 11.74 μg mL-1 followed by Blechnum orientale, 32.07 ± 7.85 μg mL-1 and Tacca integrifolia, 95.03 ± 17.49 μg mL-1. From this study, the extracts of these plants may prove to be useful in cancer treatment and prevention.
PDF Fulltext XML References Citation

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Article Trend

Total views 5290

References

  1. Abo, K.A., A.A. Adeyemi and D.A. Adeite, 2000. Ethnobotanical survey of plants used in the treatment of infertility and sexually transmitted diseases in Southeast Nigeria. Afr. J. Med. Sci., 29: 325-327.
    PubMed
  2. Ankli, A., M. Heinrich, P. Bork, L. Wolfram and P. Bauerfeind et al., 2002. Yucatec mayan medicinal plants: Evaluation based on indigenous uses. J. Eth., 79: 43-52.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  3. Balmain, A. and J.D. Connolly, 1973. Minor diterpenoid constituents of Andrographis paniculata nees. J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans., 1: 1247-1251.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  4. Cardellina, II, J.H., R.W. Fuller, W.R. Gamble, C. Westergaard and J. Boswellet al., 1999. Evolving strategies for the selection, dereplication and prioritization of antitumor and HIV-inhibitory natural products extracts. In: Bioassay Methods in Natural Product Research and Development, Bohlin, L. and J.G. Bruhn, (Eds.). Kluwer Acad. Pub., Dordrecht, pp: 25-36.
  5. Chan, W.R., D.R. Taylor, C.R. Willis, R.L. Bodden and H.W. Fehlhaber, 1971. The structure and stereochemistry of neoandrographolide, a diterpene glucoside from Andrographis paniculata Nees. Tetrahedron, 27: 5081-5091.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  6. Chen, Z.L., B.D. Wang and M.Q. Chen, 1987. Steroidal bitter principles from Tacca plantaginea structures of taccalonolide A and B. Tetrahedron Lett., 28: 1673-1675.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  7. Davin, L.B., C.Z. Wang, G.L. Helms and N.G. Lewis, 2003. [13C]-Specific labeling of 8-2′ linked (-)-cis-blechnic, (-)-trans-blechnic and (-)-brainic acids in the fern Blechnum spicant. Phytochemistry, 62: 501-511.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  8. Fumoleau, P., B. Chevallier, P. Kebrat, V. Dieras, N. Azli, M. Bayssas and M. van Glabbeke, 1995. Current status of Taxotere® (docetaxel) as a new treatment in breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res. Treat., 33: 39-46.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  9. Graf, J., 2000. Herbal anti-inflammatory agents for skin disease. Skin Ther. Lett., 5: 3-5.
    PubMed
  10. Hiwasa, T., Y. Arase, Z. Chen, K. Kita, K. Umezawa, H. Ito and N. Suzuki, 1999. Stimulation of ultraviolet-induced apoptosis of human fibroblast UVr-1 cells by tyrosine kinase inhibitors. FEBS Lett., 444: 173-176.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  11. Junaidah, M., 1997. Cytotoxic activity of damnacanthal in human T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. B.Sc. Thesis, Faculty of Biomedical and Health Science, Universiti Putra Malaysia, pp: 57
  12. Lester, S. and R. Cotran, 1999. Breast Cancer. In: Robbins Pathologic Basis of Disease. Cotran, R., V. Kumur and T. Collins (Eds.). Sounders, Philadelphia, pp: 1093-1120.
  13. Mantle, D., T.W. Lennard and A.T. Pickering, 2000. Therapeutic applications of medicinal plants in the treatment of breast cancer: A review of their pharmacology, efficacy and tolerability. Adverse Drug Reac. Toxicol. Rev., 19: 223-240.
    Direct Link
  14. Neto, C.C., C.W. Owens, R.D. Langfield, A.B. Comeau, J. St. Onge, A.J. Vaisberg and G.B. Hammond, 2002. Antibacterial activity of some Peruvian medicinal plants from the Callejon de Huaylas. J. Ethnopharmacol., 79: 133-138.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  15. Parris, B.S. and A. Latiff, 1997. Towards a pteridophyte flora Malaysia; a provisional checklist of taxa. Malayan Nat. J., 50: 235-280.
    Direct Link
  16. Perry, P.R., Y. Kang and B. Greaves, 1995. Effects of tamoxifen on growth and apoptosis of estrogen-dependent and -independent human breast cancer cells. Ann. Surg. Oncol., 2: 238-245.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  17. Quah, B.A., 1995. Cytotoxic activity of Goniothalamin on different types of cancer cell lines. B.Sc. Thesis, Biotechnology, University Putra Malaysia.
  18. Rates, S.M.K., 2001. Plants as source of drugs. Toxicon, 39: 603-613.
    CrossRefPubMedDirect Link
  19. Shen, J.H., Z.L. Chen and Y.S. Gao, 1991. The pentacyclic steroidal constituents of Tacca plantaginea: Taccalonolide E and F. Chin. J. Chem., 9: 92-94.
    CrossRefDirect Link
  20. Stanslas, J., 1998. Mechanisms of antitumour activities of novel polycyclic acridines. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Nottingham.
  21. Suffness, M. and J.M. Pezzuto, 1990. Assays Related to Cancer Drug Discovery. In: Assays for Bioactivity (Methods in Plant Biochemistry, Volume 6), Hostettmann, K. (Ed.). Chapter 4, Academic Press, London, UK., ISBN-13: 9780124610163, pp: 71-133.
  22. Tinley, T.L., D.A. Randall-Hlubek, R.M. Leal, E.M. Jackson and J.W. Cessac et al., 2003. Taccalonolides E and A: Plant-derived steroids with microtubule-stabilizing activity. Cancer Res., 63: 3211-3220.
    Direct Link
  23. Twentyman, P.R. and M. Luscombe, 1987. A study of some variables in a tetrazolium dye (MTT) based assay for cell growth and chemosensitivity. Br. J. Cancer, 56: 279-285.
    PubMed
  24. Wada, H., T. Kido, N. Tanaka, T. Murakami, Y. Saiki and C.M. Chen, 1992. Chemical and chemotaxonomical studies of ferns. LXXXI. Characteristic lignans of Blechnaceous ferns. Chem. Pharma. Bull., 40: 2099-2101.
    Direct Link
  25. Wendell, K.L., L. Wilson and M.A. Jordan, 1993. Mitotic block in HeLa cells by vinblastine: Ultra structural changes in kinetochore-microtuble attachment and in centrosomes. J. Cell Sci., 104: 261-274.
    Direct Link

Keywords