Evaluation of selected indigenous medicinal plants from the western Himalayas for cytotoxicity and as potential cancer chemopreventive agents

Figures & data

Table 1.  Taxonomic data of plants selected for biological screening.

Sample	Plant name	Family	Source	Extract
1	Melia azedarach L.	Meliaceae	leaf	Methanol
2	Melia azedarach L.	Meliaceae	leaf	Hexane
3	Melia azedarach L.	Meliaceae	leaf	Crude
4	Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. tukrestanica L.	Elaeagnaceae	fruit	Crude
5	Ajuga bracteosa Wallich ex Bentham	Labiatae	leaf	Methanol
6	Ajuga bracteosa Wallich ex Bentham	Labiatae	leaf	Hexane
7	Ajuga bracteosa Wallich ex Bentham	Labiatae	leaf	Crude
8	Figonia cretica L.	Rubiaceae	leaf	Crude
9	Rumex dentatus klotzschianus (Meisn.) Rech. f.	Polygonaceae	shoot	Crude
10	Rumex dentatus klotzschianus (Meisn.) Rech. f.	Polygonaceae	leaf	Crude
11	Rumex dentatus klotzschianus (Meisn.) Rech. f.	Polygonaceae	roots	Crude
12	Rumex dentatus klotzschianus (Meisn.) Rech. f.	Polygonaceae	leaf	Hexane
13	Rumex dentatus klotzschianus (Meisn.) Rech. f.	Polygonaceae	roots	Hexane
14	Rumex dentatus klotzschianus (Meisn.) Rech. f.	Polygonaceae	whole plant	Crude
15	Rumex hastatus D. Don.	Polygonaceae	whole plant	Crude
16	Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.	Astraceae	flower	Crude
17	Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.	Astraceae	root	Crude
18	Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.	Astraceae	shoot	Crude
19	Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn.	Astraceae	leaf	Crude
20	Swertia chirata (L.) Gaertn.	Gentianaceae	whole plant	Crude

Table 2.  Activity of plant samples determined with in vitro assays for NF-κB, RXR and QR activity.

Sample	NF-κB		RXR		QR
	IC50 μg/mL, TPA	IC50 μg/mL, TNF	CRS	EC50 μg/mL	IR at 20 μg/mL	CD (μg/mL)
1	>20	>20	1.01	NA	1	>20
2	2.43	8.86	0.89	NA	1.8	>20
3	>20	>20	0.82	NA	1.2	>20
4	>20	>20	1.12	NA	1.7	>20
5	>20	>20	1.04	NA	1.1	>20
6	0.41	12.99	1.24	3.27	2.4	13.9
7	2.44	3.24	1.23	3.83	2.2	17.7
8	5.36	16.9	0.85	NA	1.4	>20
9	>20	>20	1.08	NA	1.2	>20
10	>20	>20	0.99	NA	1.3	>20
11	>20	>20	0.94	NA	1.2	>20
12	>20	>20	1.05	NA	2.4	12.7
13	>20	>20	1.39	1.47	1	>20
14	>20	14.27	1.10	NA	0.1	>20
15	>20	6.66	1.29	3.10	0.4	>20
16	>20	4.9	1.11	NA	1.4	>20
17	>20	>20	1.00	NA	1.5	>20
18	>20	>20	0.82	NA	1.3	>20
19	>20	>20	0.97	NA	2.0	18.9
20	0.44	19.5	1.05	NA	3.7	0.42

IC₅₀, Concentration leading to 50% Inhibition; EC₅₀, Concentration leading to a response halfway between baseline and maximum; CRS, coactivator recruitment score (520sample/490sample)/(520DMSO/490DMSO); IR, induction ratio: specific activity of sample/specific activity of control (DMSO); CD, concentration which doubles activity; NA, not active (>20 μg/mL ). The sample numbers correspond to those designated in Table 1.