In vitro growth inhibition and cytotoxicity of Euphorbia caducifolia against four human cancer cell lines and its phytochemical characterisation

Abstract

Several Euphorbia species have been used in folklore as cancer remedies, however, scientific studies on the cytotoxicity (in vitro studies) of Euphorbia caducifolia are lacking. In present study, anticancer potential of E. caducifolia aerial parts ethanol extract and its fractions were evaluated against human lung (NCI-H460), breast (MCF-7), prostate (PC-3) and cervical (HeLa) cancer cell lines, using sulphorhodamine-B in vitro cytotoxicity (in vitro studies) assay. The ethanol extract demonstrated growth inhibitory effect against all aforementioned cancer cell lines with IC₅₀, 19–135 μg/mL and LC₅₀, ~220 μg/mL, and its petroleum ether fraction obtained on bioactivity guided fraction showed highest activity with IC₅₀, 28–70 μg/mL and LC₅₀, 71 μg/mL against NCI-H460 and MCF-7 cell lines. Its phytochemicals were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The present study provides scientific justification for its traditional use against cancer.

Keywords:

• Cytotoxicity
• growth inhibition
• Euphorbia caducifolia
• petroleum ether fraction
• GC-MS
• sulphorhodamine-B

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to the National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, for providing the cell lines under a Material Transfer Agreement.