Study on the Cytotoxic Effect of Amomum Subulatum in Cancer Cells

Abstract

Cancer is a disease of uncontrolled cell growth and proliferation. Standard therapy which targets cancer cell cytotoxicity also causes non-specific cytotoxicity to normal cells so there is need of new bioactive agents which targets the cancer cells and has lesser side effects on the normal cells. The aim of this project work was initially to screen the different extract of Amomum subulatum for cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and HeLa cells. The extracts were prepared with varying polarity of solvents (Hexane, Diethyl ether, Ethyl acetate, Ethanol, Acetone and Water) through soxhlet apparatus. Hexane and Ethyl acetate extracts were foundto exhibit maximum cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and HeLa cells. Cytotoxic effect of hexane and ethyl acetate extracts becomes more pronounced with increase in both concentration and time in both MCF-7 and HeLa cells. Hexane and ethyl acetate extracts have also shown inhibition of stimulated (pokeweed mitogen treated) and unstimulated PBMC which shows that these extracts may exhibit immunosuppressive effect.