In vitro Antioxidant and Anticancer Properties of Hydroethanolic Extracts and Fractions of Ageratum conyzoides
Journal Title: European Journal of Medicinal Plants - Year 2015, Vol 7, Issue 4
Abstract
Background: Cancer is still a major public health burden in many countries and despite the research strides made in respect of therapeutic interventions, challenges still abound in cancer treatment. Ageratum conyzoides has increasingly been used in folklore for the treatment of a wide range of diseases including cancer. Aim: This study was aimed at investigating the antioxidant and anticancer potentials as well as the phytochemical constituents of 50% hydroethanolic crude extracts and fractions of leaf extracts of Ageratum conyzoides. Methodology: Antioxidant activities were evaluated by the DPPH, Folin-Ciocalteau and glutathione assays. The in vitro 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used for the determination of anticancer activities of the plant samples against four selected human cell lines: leukemic (Jurkat), prostate (LNCap), breast (MCF-7), and normal human prostate (PNT2) cell lines. The selectivity indices were also estimated. Mean EC50 and IC50 values were compared by one way ANOVA. Results: The extracts scavenged DPPH in a dose dependent manner similar to the standard compound, butylated hydroxy toluene. The whole plant extract had the strongest activity with EC50 value of 0.3±0.03 mg/ml. The leaf extract recorded the highest total phenol content of 1602.3±36.7 mg/g GAE. Glutathione was not detected in any of the crude extracts. The leaf extract as well as the chloroform and ethylacetate fractions exhibited interesting cytotoxicities on Jurkat cells with IC50 values of 15.1±0.3 μg/ml, 6.36±1.6 μg/ml and 4.6±0.1 μg/ml, respectively compared to curcumin, 0.002±0 μg/ml. Also, the leaf extract, chloroform and ethylacetate fractions were strongly selective against Jurkat cells with SI values of 66.33, 15.72 and 21.74, respectively compared to curcumin (SI = 2.3). The presence of tannins, saponins and terpenoids were concentrated in the leaf and flower extracts of the plant. Conclusion: The present investigations have shown that Ageratum conyzoides possesses remarkable antioxidant and anticancer properties, which lend support to the use of the plant in folklore as an anticancer agent. Further studies are required determine the active principle(s).
Authors and Affiliations
Felix Acheampong, Christopher Larbie, Regina Appiah-Opong, Fareed K. N. Arthur, Isaac Tuffour
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP350152
- DOI 10.9734/EJMP/2015/17088
- Views 141
- Downloads 0
Relationships between Land-Use Types and Plant Species Used by Traditional Ethno-Medical System
Aims: The agricultural frontier advances progressively on forested regions in Central Argentina, changing the landscape structure by extremely reducing the extension of native forests. In rural communities that are relat...
Autophagy Inhibition Enhances the Mitochondrial-Mediated Apoptosis Induced by Mangrove (Avicennia marina) Extract in Human Breast Cancer Cells
Aims: Avicennia marina (AM) is a widely distributed mangrove plant that has been used in traditional medicine for centuries for the treatment of a number of diseases. The objective of the present study was to evaluate th...
Development of Simple, Cost Effective Protocol for Micropropagation of Tylophora indica (Burm f.) Merill., an Important Medicinal Plant
Aims: The present studies were initiated to develop a cost effective protocol for micropropagation, as a mean for conservation of medicinal plant- Tylophora indica (Burm f.) Merill. The plant is threatened and needs imme...
Phytochemical and Proximate Analyses of Methanol Leaf Extract of Neem Azadirachta indica
Aims: To determine the phytochemical content, proximate and mineral analysis of neem leaves. Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out in the Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology...
Anti-microbial Activities of Selected Ghanaian Medicinal Plants and Four Structurally Similar Anti-protozoan Compounds against Susceptible and Multi-drug Resistant Bacteria
Antibacterial resistance is one of the fast rising health concerns globally. WHO emphasized the need for development of new drugs to combat antimicrobial resistance. Our group previously found several anti-protozoan comp...