Anticancer activity of Callicarpa arborea Roxb. extracts against Type-II human lung adenocarcinoma cell line, A549

Abstract

The study aims to evaluate the anticancer activity of Callicarpa arborea in A549 cancer cells.Fresh non-infected leaves of Callicarpa arborea were collected from Serkawn, Lunglei District, Mizoram and various solvents were used for Soxhlet extraction at their respective boiling points.The extracts were concentrated and the anticancer activity was tested in the human lung cancer cell line A549 using MTT and clonogenic assays.The effect of C. arborea on the antioxidant system was also assessed by measuring the levels of glutathione, glutathione s-transferases, superoxide dismutase as well as lipid peroxidation levels following standard protocols.Among the various solvent extracts of C. arborea, only chloroform extract showed significant cytotoxicity, and inhibited cell proliferation and survival against the A549 cancer cells.The chloroform extract of C. arborea induced cell death in A549 cells in a dose and time dependent manner with an IC of 52.8 20.4 50 -1 -1µgml and µgml at 24 hr and 48 hr, respectively.The clonogenic assay showed that the chloroform extract was able to inhibit cell proliferation in the A549 cells and the inhibition increased with increase in dose.The chloroform extract also alleviated the levels and activities of antioxidants glutathione, glutathione-s-transferase and superoxide dismutase, while elevating the lipid peroxidation level in the A549 cells.The study shows that Callicarpa arborea possess both cytotoxic and anti-proliferative properties against the human lung cancer cell line A549.Callicarpa arborea is a potential candidate as a new anti-cancer agent and warrants further investigation.