Abstract:
This work presents the investigation of cytotoxic effect of the compounds
present in leaves and bark of Fluggea leucopyrus (Katupila). F. leucopyrus
belongs to the family Euphorbiacea, and leaves of the plants are known to
possess some anti-cancer potential, and it is used as an alternative and
complementary medicine in cancer therapy. The cytotoxity was assayed
using Brine Shrimp lethality assay. The aqueous extracts of leaves and bark
of F. leucopyrus was prepared and used in this assay. The tests were
performed in multi-well cell culture plates in triplicates of 0, 25, 50, 100,
250, 500 and 1000 ppm concentrations of plant extracts. The second instar
nauplii of brine shrimp were used, and after 24 hour of incubation period,
number of survivals were recorded. The LC50 values were calculated for the
bark and leaves extracts using EPA probit analyzer and both extracts of
F.leucopyrus showed LC50 values of greater than 1000 ppm. The crude
extracts were purified using column chromatography and the pure
compounds were subjected to Brine shrimp lethality assay. It showed that
the LC50 values for the all five compounds isolated were greater than 1000
ppm. According to these results, it gives primary indication that the
compounds present in the leaves and bark of F. leucopyrus have no
cytotoxic effects to the normal tissues.
