Evaluation of Some Egyptian Plant Species for in vitro Antimycobacterial and Cytotoxic Activities

Abstract

Twenty plant species used in Egypt and selected mainly on the basis of use in the treatment of lung/chest diseases were evaluated for in vitro antimycobacterial and cytotoxic activities in a study designed to detect plant extracts with selective activity against mycobacteria. The methanol extracts of only two of the species tested, Ambrosia maritime L. (leaves) and Nasturtium officinale R.Br. (seeds), exhibited activity against Mycobacterium bovis BCG (MIC values 250 and 500µgmL -1, respectively), but both species were also toxic to DLD-1 cells (IC 50 = 10.98 and 54.25µgmL -1, respectively). Of the remaining species, nine were found to have cytotoxic activities (IC 50 < 100µgml -1); cytotoxicity data on four of these has not previously been reported.