In Vitro Cytotoxic Potential of Plant Terpenes and Selected Medicinal Plants of Pakistan against NIH 3T3 Cell Line.

Abstract

Background: Medicinal plants are used in anticancer therapies from ages. The very first time we have not only screened anticancer medicinal plants from Pakistan but also identified anticancer plant terpenes. This study will definitely pave the way towards anticancer drug development after animal trials. Materials and Methods | This study was based on ethanolic extraction of fruits/seed of 25 plants. The cytotoxic potential of extracts and plant terpenes was evaluated against mouse fibroblasts (NIH 3T3) cell line by using MTT (3- [4, 5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) assay and compared with cyclohexamide. Results | Ethanolic extracts were nontoxic against NIH3T3 cell line. On the basis of the % inhibition plants were graded as B.lycium, 48% > T.bellerica, 47% > C.verum, 45% > Z.tenuior, 39% > H. adenophyllum, 38% > C. carandas, 31% > C.behen, 29% > P. juliflora, 28% & P.granatum, 28% W.somnifera, 27% > E.cheiri, 26% > S. potatorum, 24% & M.incana, 24% > D. peregrina, 21% & B.lanzan, 21% > L. maldivica, 20% > F. lyrata, 18% > F.arabica, 16% & R. indica, 16% > C.absus, 13% & C.paniculatus, 13%. > C. diurnum, 12% > J.mimosifolia, 11% > D.malabarica, 8% > C. speciosa, 3% as compared to the reference drug Cyclohexamide, 70%. Whereas the maximum % inhibition was exhibited by n-Hexadecanoic acid (88%), followed by Hexadecanoic acid, methyl ester (16%) and Methyl decanoate displayed 11%. C50 of n-Hexadecanoic acid and Cyclohexamide was 3.1±0.2 and 0.8±0.2 respectively. Conclusion| Plant extracts and terpenes was found to be inactive against 3T3 cell line.