In vitro cytotoxic activity of nine plants used in Mayan traditional medicine.
BACKGROUND
Plants have been used in folk medicine by Mayan ancient people from the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, to treat some diseases considered as cancer diseases such as chronic wounds or tumors.


OBJECTIVE
We collected a selection of nine plants in order to investigate their cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines.


METHODS
Methanolic extracts were tested for their cytotoxicity using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay on four cancer cell lines; nasopharynx carcinoma (KB), laryngeal carcinoma (Hep-2), cervix adenocarcinoma (HeLa), and cervix squamous carcinoma cells (SiHa) and one normal cell line; canine kidney (MDCK).


RESULTS
All species exhibited some degree of cytotoxic activity. The root bark extract of Hamelia patens exhibited the highest cytotoxic activity on HeLa cells with a CC50 of 13 microg/mL and selectivity index of 13.3, higher than docetaxel. Gossypium schottii and Dioon spinulosum showed similar good cytotoxic activity and selectivity index on HeLa and Hep-2 cells, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Hamelia patens, Dioon spinulosum and Gossypium schottii demonstrated promising cytotoxic activity and have been selected for future bio-guided fractionation and isolation of active cytotoxic compounds.
Mena-Rejon
G
G
Facultad de Química, Laboratorio de Química Orgánica de Investigación, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Calle 41 No. 421, Col. Industrial, C.P. 97150, Mérida, Yuc., Mexico.
Caamal-Fuentes
E
E
Cantillo-Ciau
Z
Z
Cedillo-Rivera
R
R
Flores-Guido
J
J
Moo-Puc
R
R
D000818:Animals; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D003603:Cytotoxins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008800:Mexico; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
D003603:Cytotoxins; D010936:Plant Extracts