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Research: Mongelli and colleagues,
Listed in Issue 62
Abstract
Mongelli and colleagues, Departamento de Quimica Organica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon 2, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina, investigated the cytotoxic and DNA interaction activities of extracts from medicinal plants used in Argentina.
Background
Methodology
Eight crude extracts from seven Argentine plants with cancer-related ethnobotanical uses were investigated to detect cytotoxic activity. The plants studied were: Aristolochia triangularis, Baccharis grisebachii, Bolax gummifera, Eupatorium hecatanthum, Erythrina crista-galli, Pterocaulon polystachium and Salpichroa origanifolia. Crown gall tumour inhibition, DNA interaction and cytotoxicity towards KB cells were assayed using the potato disc, the DNA-methyl green (DNA-MG) and the KB cells cytotoxicity bioassays respectively.
Results
The results obtained indicate that A. triangularis, B. gummifera and E. hecatanthum contained cytotoxic compounds against KB cells. All of the plants studied inhibited the growth of crown gall tumours, showing correlation between the experimental data and the uses reported for these plants. Results obtained for the extracts of E. hecatanthum and P. polystachium indicate the presence of compounds that interact with DNA (48 and 22% of absorbance decrease, respectively).
Conclusion
the results suggest that cytotoxicity could play an important role in the activities claimed for the plants under study.
References
Mongelli E. et al. Cytotoxic and DNA interaction activities of extracts from medicinal plants used in Argentina . Journal of Ethnopharmacology 71(1-2): 145-51. Jul 2000.
