Ethanolic Extract of Arcangelisia flava Leaves is Cytotoxic and Selective

Abstract

Previous study revealed that ethanolic extract of Arcangelisia flava leaves (EEAfL) was able to increase immune response on doxorubicin-treated rats with no signs of toxicity. Its use as cancer co-hemotherapeutic agent could be based on its capability to decrease chemotherapeutic agent side effects as well as increasing the effectivity of chemotherapeutic agent. This study was determined to test the cytotoxicity and selectivity of EEAfL againts several cancer cell lines as the basis for increasing the effectivity of chemotherapeutic agent indicator. The cytotoxicity assay was done by MTT method on HeLa, MCF-7, and WiDr cell lines as well as Vero cell line for the selectivity assay. EEAfL exhibited cytotoxic activity on HeLa, MCF-7, WiDr, and Vero with IC50 value of 467+70; 136+17; 213+79; and 1340+288 ppm, respectively. Thus it was selective on HeLa, MCF-7, and WiDr with SI value of 2.87; 9.85; and 6.29, respectively. Meaning that EEAfL is cytotoxic and selective against MCF-7 and WiDr, but not on HeLa cell line. It can be concluded that EEAfL has the chance to be developed as cancer co-chemotherapeutic agent especially for breast and colon cancer, still there are ways to go.