Abstract

STUDIES ON IN VITRO ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTICANCER POTENTIAL OF SMILAX CHINA RHIZOME EXTRACTS

Apada Reddy Gangadasu*, P. Selvam and Rakesh Jat

ABSTRACT

Plants produce phytochemicals, which are naturally derived secondary metabolites. It will safeguard them against stress from the environment as well as infection from dangerous microbes. These phytochemicals are said to have both positive and pharmacological effects on humans. The active compounds found in medicinal plants have long been known to work synergistically to alleviate the primary and secondary symptoms of a number of diseases. Smilax china (Smilaceae) is a commonly used medicinal plant. To understand anticancer potentials, the ability of the aqueous extract SC in scavenging free radicals was assessed using DPPH, ABTS, NO and FRAP assays. In vitro anticancer activity was also tested in neuroblastoma cells, breast cancer cells, and lung cancer cells, skin melanoma cell line (B16F10 Cell line), and cytotoxicity against normal vero cells using MTT assay. The findings showed that the aqueous extract (SC-A) and methanolic extract (SC ET) have significant antioxidant and anti-cancer activities. The data presented provides scientific proof for the medicinal plant's antioxidant and anticancer efficacy, which could be attributed to the existence of biologically active chemicals in the herbal.

Keywords: Smilax china, in vitro antioxidant assays, anti-cancer activity.