Abstract

EVALUATION OF INVITRO ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF BULB EXTRACTS OF ALLIUM FISTULOSUM L. AGAINST HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA CELL LINE (HEP G2)

Monika N. and Sakthi Abirami M.*

ABSTRACT

Natural phytochemicals derived from medicinal plants have attained a greater significance in management of cancer. The liver cancer is ranked in the top 10 human cancer worldwide and among top 5 of cancers in terms of mortality more than 70% of primary liver cancer is presented as hepatocellular carcinoma. Allium fistulosum L. was sequentially extracted with solvents such as Petroleum ether, Ethyl acetate and Ethanol at increasing polarity using soxhlet apparatus. Qualitative analysis was done for alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, carbohydrates, proteins, amino acids, glycosides,gums, mucilage, steroids, phenols, terpenoids, resins, fixed oils andfats. The presence of phenolic and flavonoid components possess wide spectrum of biological activities such as antioxidant, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic and age related degeneration of cell components. In order to determine its role of flavonoids and phenolic components in cancer, quantitative estimation was done. The three extracts were further evaluated for invitro anticancer activity against HepG2 cell line by MTT assay which was compared with the Standard drug 5-Fluorouracil. The MTT assay is the best known method for determining mitochondrial dehydrogenase activity in the living cells. From the obtained results, the IC50 value of the Petroleum ether, Ethyl acetate and Ethanol extract of Allium fistulosum L. were found to be 65.22 μg, 58.09 μg, 33.27μg respectively and the IC50 value of 5-Fluorouracil was found to be 17.90 μg. So it was concluded that among the three extracts, the ethanolic extract was found to be potent and effective.

Keywords: Allium fistulosum, anticancer, MTT assay, Hep G2, phytochemicals.