title: Cytotoxicity of extracts from the mushroom Paxillus involutus.
abstract: The cytotoxicity of extracts of freshly collected Paxillus involutus against murine (L929 and RAW 264.7) and human (HeLa and EAhy926) derived cell lines was investigated. The water extract (15.6-1000 micrograms/ml) did not affect the viability of cells, while the butanol extract reduced cell viability by 30-45% at the highest concentration tested (1 mg/ml). The ethyl acetate extract was cytotoxic in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values between 125 and 250 micrograms/ml. The cytotoxic principle appears to be heat and acid stable, as neither incubation at 37 degrees C for 4 hr nor overnight treatment at pH 0.5 altered the cytotoxicity of the ethyl acetate extract. This non-polar, acid- and thermo-stable cytotoxic principle may play a role in the haemolysis and other clinical manifestations that occur during poisoning by P. involutus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, U.K.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Habtemariam
mesh_terms: D020001:1-Butanol; D000818:Animals; D001487:Basidiomycota / Q000378:metabolism*; D000440:Butanols / Q000737:chemistry; D002460:Cell Line; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects; D006367:HeLa Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D000440:Butanols; D010936:Plant Extracts; D020001:1-Butanol