@article {1403, title = {In vitro Assessment of Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Effects of Argemone mexicana and Prosopis cineraria Methanolic Extracts against Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Glioblastoma Cells}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {17}, year = {2025}, month = {April 2025}, pages = {588-596}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {588}, abstract = {

Objectives: The antioxidant and antiproliferative properties of Argemone mexicana and Prosopis cineraria were investigated against Hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) and glioblastoma (U87MG) cells. Materials and Methods: Methanolic extracts of the plants were tested for their antioxidant activity using the DPPH and FRAP assays with ascorbic acid as a positive control. The phenolic and flavonoid content of both the plant extracts were evaluated. The anti-proliferative activity of hepatocellular carcinoma and glioblastoma cell lines were estimated by treating the cells with plant extracts by MTT assay. Results: Ascorbic acid showcased the lowest IC50 value at 32.61{\textpm}4.10 μg/mL, followed by A. mexicana (84.02{\textpm}2.46 μg/mL) and P. cineraria (212.65{\textpm}4.77 μg/ mL). Additionally, the FRAP assay revealed the presence of ascorbic acid in both plant extracts, with concentrations of 29.17{\textpm}0.30 μmol AAE/g in A.mexicana and 19.83{\textpm}0.55 μmol AAE/g in P. cineraria. The Total Phenolic Content (TPC) in the stem of Argemone mexicana was determined to be 30.44{\textpm}3.73 mg gallic acid equivalents (GAE) per gram, while that in the leaves of Prosopis cineraria was measured at 6.67{\textpm}0.69 mg of GAE/g. Similarly, the total flavonoid content (TFC) in the stem of A. mexicana was quantified at 16.67{\textpm}1.19 mg of Quercetin Equivalents (QE) per gram, contrasting with the TFC in the leaves of P. cineraria, which registered at 2.17{\textpm}0.59 mg of QE/g. In vitro cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT assay, showing a significant decrease in cell viability in both cell lines. The IC50 concentrations were determined as 91.3{\textpm}3.17 μg/mL and 78.43{\textpm}4.16 μg/mL for A. mexicana and 261.43{\textpm}35.16 μg/mL and 108.03{\textpm}2.97 μg/mL for P. cineraria against HepG2 and U87MG cells, respectively. Conclusion: These findings suggest the capacity of both plants as source of antioxidant and carcinostatic agents against hepatocellular carcinoma and glioblastoma.

}, keywords = {Antioxidant, Argemone mexicana, Cytotoxic, Medicinal plants, Prosopis cineraria}, doi = {10.5530/pres.20252073}, author = {Divya Vashishth and Sudhir Kumar Kataria} } @article {388, title = {Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Activity of Asparagopsis taxiformis}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {9}, year = {2017}, month = {July 2017}, pages = { 238-246}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = { 238-}, abstract = {

Background: Asparagopsis taxiformis (Rhodophyta) is a species of red algae belonging to the family Bonnemaisoniaceae. The objective of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of four fractions (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol) of A. taxiformis. Materials and Methods: The red seaweed, A. taxiformis was collected from Mandapam Coastal Region, Gulf of Mannar, Tamil Nadu. Epiphytes present in algal extracts were cleaned and washed with seawater and fresh water. In vitro antioxidant activity was determined by hydrogen peroxide scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power, superoxide radical, metal-chelating activity, and phosphomolybdenum reduction assay. Further, the cytotoxic activity was evaluated using brine shrimp lethality assay. This method is rapid, reliable, inexpensive, and convenient as compared to other cytotoxicity assays. Gallic acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, ascorbic acid, and quercetin were used as reference antioxidant compounds. Results: Reducing power of chloroform extract increased with increasing concentration of the extract. The radical scavenging activity of extracts was in the following order: ascorbic acid \> methanol \> chloroform \> petroleum ether \> ethyl acetate. Highest metal-chelating activity was observed in petroleum ether fractions (63\%). Reduction of Mo (VI) to Mo (V) increased in methanol extract (27\%) at 100 μg/ml. Moreover, all fractions had an inhibitory effect on the formation of hydroxyl radicals. Results showed that ethyl acetate, methanol, and petroleum ether fractions exhibited potent cytotoxic activity with median lethal concentration values of 84.33, 104.4, and 104.4 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: Thus, the results showed that red algae possess strong antioxidant and cytotoxic activity that suggests their possible use in the development of pharmaceutical drugs.

}, keywords = {Antioxidant activity, Asparagopsis taxiformis, Cytotoxic, Free radical scavenging}, doi = {10.4103/pr.pr_128_16}, author = {PV Neethu and K Suthindhiran and MA Jayasri} } @article {312, title = {New Cytotoxic Cembranoid from Indonesian Soft Coral Sarcophyton sp.}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {9}, year = {2017}, month = {February 2017}, pages = {65-68}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {65}, abstract = {

Context: Sarcophyton is a soft coral species that contains various secondary metabolites with cytotoxic activity. The production of cytotoxic compounds in soft corals is suggested as their allelochemical to win space competition. Therefore, if a particular soft coral species dominates a reef area, it may suggest to contain interesting bioactive compounds. Aims: This research aimed to characterize the cytotoxic compounds in dominant soft coral species (Sarcophyton sp.) on the reef at the Western side of Mahengetang Island, Indonesia. Subjects and Methods: Isolation of cytotoxic compounds through ethanol extracts had been done with preparative high-performance liquid chromatography and bioassay-guided fractionation by MCF-7 (breast) cancer cell lines. The structures of each cytotoxic compounds were elucidated on the basis of mass and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic studies. Results: Elucidation through all compounds found a new cembranoid, namely, 2-hydroxy-crassocolide E (1), alongside with 5 known cembranoids; sarcophytoxide (2), sarcrassin E (3), 3,7,11-cembreriene-2,15-diol (4), 11,12-epoxy-Sarcophytol A (5), and sarcophytol A (6). All of these cembranoids were showed to inhibit the growth of MCF-7 (breast) cancer, with 50\% inhibition of tumor cell lines growth lower than 30 mg/L. Conclusions: Results of this study suggest that a soft coral species which dominate a reef area is a potential source for various bioactive compounds.

}, keywords = {Cembranoid, Cytotoxic, Sarcophyton sp., Soft coral}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.199779}, author = {Hedi Indra Januar and Neviaty Putri Zamani and Dedi Soedharma and Ekowati Chasanah} } @article {501, title = {In vivo Toxicity Studies on Gall Extracts of Terminalia chebula (Gaertn.) Retz. (Combretaceae)}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {8}, year = {2016}, month = {May 2016}, pages = {199-201}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {199}, abstract = {

The galls of Terminala chebula (Gaertn.) Retz. (Combretaceae) are used for the treatment of various diseases in folk medicine and has been found to posses anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-helmintic, anti-tyrosinase, and anti-aging activities. Considering the ethano-botanical and diverse pharmacological applications of galls of T. chebula, in this study, we investigate the possible toxic effects of different gall extracts of T. chebula by Brine shrimp (Artemia salina) toxicity assay. The cytotoxicity test of leaf gall extracts (petroleum ether, chloroform, ethanol, and aqueous) of T. chebula was evaluated by Brine shrimp (A. salina) toxicity assay, which is based on the ability to kill laboratory cultured Artemia nauplii (animals eggs) and also total content of polyphenols, flavonoids with other qualitative phytochemical analysis of the extract were determined. It was observed that the petroleum ether extract was virtually nontoxic on the shrimps, and exhibited very low toxicity with LC50 value of 4356.76 μg/ml. Furthermore, the chloroform extract exhibited very low toxicity, giving LC50 value of 1462.2 μg/ml. On the other hand, the ethanol extract was very toxic to brine shrimps with LC50 value of 68.64 μg/ml. The ethanol extract had the highest total phenolic and flavonoid content of 136 {\textpm} 1.5 mg of gallic acid equivalent/g d.w and 113 {\textpm} 1.6 mg of quercetin equivalent/g d.w, respectively. The higher toxicity effect was positively correlated to the high content of total polyphenols/flavonoids in the extract. This significant lethality of different extracts to brine shrimp is an indicative of the presence of potent cytotoxic components which warrants further investigation.

}, keywords = {Assay, Brine shrimp assay, Cytotoxic, Drug, Extract, Galls, Toxicity}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.182914}, author = {Ravi Shankara Birur Eshwarappa and Y. L. Ramachandra and Sundara Rajan Subaramaihha and Sujan Ganapathy Pasura Subbaiah and Richard Surendranath Austin and Bhadrapura Lakkappa Dhananjaya} } @article {395, title = {Chemical Constituents and Bioactivities of Glinus Oppositifolius}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {7}, year = {2015}, month = {June 2015}, pages = {138-147}, type = {Original Article }, chapter = {138}, abstract = {

Objectives: To isolate the secondary metabolites from the dichloromethane (DCM) extracts of Glinus oppositifolius; to test for the cytotoxicity of a new triterpene, oppositifolone (1); and to test for the hypoglycemic, analgesic, and antimicrobial potentials of 1, DCM and aqueous leaf extracts of G. oppositifolius. Methods: The compounds were isolated by silica gel chromatography and identified by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The cytotoxicity potential of 1 was tested using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Triterpene 1, DCM, and aqueous leaf extracts were tested for hypoglycemic potential using the oral glucose tolerance test; analgesic potential using the tail-flick assay, and antimicrobial potential using the disc diffusion method. Results: The DCM extracts of G. oppositifolius afforded 1, squalene, spinasterol, oleanolic acid, phytol, and lutein from the leaves; squalene and spergulagenin A from the stems; and spinasterol from the roots. Triterpene 1 was cytotoxic against human colon carcinoma 116 with an IC50 value of 28.7 but did not exhibit cytotoxicity against A549. The aqueous leaf extract at 200 mg/kg body weight (BW) exhibited hypoglycemic activity with a pronounced \% blood glucose reduction of 70.76\% {\textpm}17.4\% within 0.5 h after introduction. The DCM leaf extract showed a lower \% blood glucose reduction of 18.52\% {\textpm}13.5\% at 200 mg/kg BW within 1.5 h after introduction, while 1 did not exhibit hypoglycemic activity. The samples did not exhibit analgesic property and were inactive against multiple drug resistant bacterial pathogens. Conclusion: The compounds responsible for the hypoglycemic activity of G. oppositifolius which are fast acting (0.5 h) are found in the aqueous leaf extract.

}, keywords = {3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, Analgesic, Antimicrobial, Cytotoxic, Glinus oppositifolius Linn, Hypoglycemic, Molluginaceae, Oppositifolone}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.150520}, author = {Consolacion Y. Ragasa and Esperanza C. Cabrera and Oscar B. Torres and Adiel Inah Buluran and Dinah L. Espineli and Dennis D. Raga and Chien-Chang Shen} } @article {947, title = {Evaluation of in vitro Cytotoxic Effect of Trichosanthes dioica Root}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {2}, year = {2010}, month = {January 2011}, pages = {355-358}, type = {O}, chapter = {355}, abstract = {

Background: Trichosanthes dioica Roxb. (Cucurbitaceae), called pointed gourd in English is a dioecious climber grown in India and used traditionally for various medicinal purposes. Methods: Present study was aimed to evaluate in vitro cytotoxic effect of dichloromethane (DCTD), methanol (METD), and aqueous (AQTD) extracts of T. dioica root using Allium cepa root meristems by keeping them in different concentrations of each test extract under specific experimental conditions followed by determination of root growth inhibition (root length and number) and mitotic index. Results: All the extracts significantly demonstrated concentration-dependent inhibition of root length and number and reduction in mitotic index, indicating antimitotic activity demonstrating cytotoxicity and genotoxicity. DCTD was found to be the most potent (EC 50 : 2.8 mg/ml), followed by METD and AQTD. Conclusion: The present study therefore, establishes promising in vitro cytotoxic and genotoxic property of T. dioica root against the test system.

}, keywords = {Allium cepa, Antimitotic, Cytotoxic, Root}, doi = {10.4103/0974-8490.75454}, author = {Sanjib Bhattacharya and Pallab K Haldar} } @article {772, title = {Biological activity of Crambe orientalis L. growing in Iran}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {1}, year = {2009}, month = {January 2010 }, pages = {125-129}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {125}, abstract = {

Crambe orientalis (Brassicaceae) is a perennial herb growing wild in Iran. Cytotoxic, antioxidant, antimicrobial and phytotoxic effects of the plant leaves extracts have been evaluated by MTT, DPPH, Disc diffusion and lettuce assays, respectively. Our results showed that dichloromethane and methanol extracts of the plant leaves exhibited high cytotoxic effects against Mc-Coy cell line with IC50 value of 659 and 432 -g/ml, respectively. The extracts indicated high antioxidant activity with RC50 value of 33.3 and 40.5 -g/ml, respectively. Methanol extract showed strong antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. All the extracts displayed significant allelopatic potential, as well as. It is assumed that biological activity of the plant may be related to presence of isothiocyanates in the plant leaves.

}, keywords = {Allelopathy, Antimicrobial, Antioxidant, Crambe orientalis, Cytotoxic}, doi = {Nil}, author = {S. M. Razavi and G. Zarrini and S. Zahri and K. Ghasemi and S. Mohammadi} } @article {941, title = {Biological activity of two red algae, Gracilaria salicornia and Hypnea flagelliformis from Persian Gulf.}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {1}, year = {2009}, month = {January 2010 }, pages = {428-430}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {428}, abstract = {

Among marine organisms, algae are a large and diverse group of organisms from which a wide range of secondary metabolites have been isolated. A number of these compounds possess biological activity. In this study, we aim to evaluate the cytotoxic, antibacterial and antifungal activity of two red algae, Gracilaria salicornia and Hypnea flagelliformis, collected from Persian Gulf. Ethyl acetate extracts of both algae showed a potent cytotoxic effect against Artemia salina nauplii (LC50 = 3 and 4 μg.ml-1, respectively). Aqueous methanol (50\%) extracts were also effective. None of the methanol and aqueous methanol extracts of the algae showed antifungal and antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger by the Broth-dilution method. Only the ethyl acetate extracts exhibited antibacterial activity (MIC = 2 μg.ml-1) on S. aureus. In conclusion, G. salicornia and H. flagelliformis could be a promising source of cytotoxic components.

}, keywords = {Antibacterial, Antifungal, Cytotoxic, Gracilaria salicornia, Hypnea flagelliformis}, doi = {Nil}, author = {Saeidnia S and Gohari A. R and Shahverdi A. R and Permeh P and Nasiri M and Mollazadeh K. and Farahani F.} } @article {773, title = {Cytotoxic Acetogenins from Annona glabra Cultivated in Egypt}, journal = {Pharmacognosy Research}, volume = {1}, year = {2009}, month = {January 2010 }, pages = {130-135}, type = {Original Article}, chapter = {130}, abstract = {

Bio-assay guided fraction of the methanolic extract of Annona glabra seeds (Annonaceae), cultivated in Egypt, revealed to the isolation of three bis-tetrahydrofuran acetogenins; squamocin-C (1), squamocin-D (2), and annonin I (3). Compounds 1 and 2 were obtained as stereoisomeric mixture. All isolates were assayed for their cytotoxicity twards brine shrimp and five in vitro cancer cell lines (A549, HT29, MCF 7, RPMI, and U251), and showed significant activity The structures of all compounds were determined by interpretation of their NMR and MS analyses.

}, keywords = {Acetogenin, Annona glabra, Annonaceae, Brine shrimp, Cytotoxic}, doi = {Nil}, author = {Ahmed Abdel-Lateff and Bassem S. El-Menshawi and Mohamed Y. Haggag and Mahmoud A. Nawwar} }