Cytotoxic, anti-mitotic and cytogenetic effects of the leaves and atems of Olax subscorpioidea Oliv. (Olacaceae) against Artemia salina nauplii and Allium cepa meristematic cells
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Date
2019
Authors
Oladipupo, A.R.
Alaribe, S.C.
Idris, A.
Coker, H.A.
Ogunlaja, A.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Mac. Pharm. Bull. Vol. 65(1)
Abstract
The search for novel, safe and effective anticancer agents has been a continuous and recurring objective in cancer research. Olax
subscorpioidea is a medicinal plant used for ethnomedicinal treatment of cancer in Nigeria. In this study, we investigated the cytotoxic,
anti-mitotic and cytogenetic effects of methanol extracts of the leaves and stems of O. subscorpioidea. The cytotoxic activities were
evaluated against brine shrimps (Artemia salina) nauplii and Allium cepa roots, while anti-mitotic and cytogenetic effects were assessed
on Allium cepa meristematic cells. Cytotoxicity assays showed that the extracts demonstrated potent cytotoxic activities, having LC50
values of 10.7 and 45.2 µg/mL against brine shrimps and IC50 values in the range of 47.03 – 81.93 µg/mL on A. cepa roots. These
activities were comparable to that of potassium dichromate and methotrexate used as positive control in each of the assays. Anti-mitotic
results indicated that at a concentration of 10 µg/mL, the extracts demonstrated percentage mitotic inhibition (% M.I) of 35.95 – 70.12%,
with greater or similar anti-mitotic effects to methotrexate at a concentration of 125 µg/mL, % M.I of 39.04 – 40.64%. Cytogenetic
investigation revealed that the extracts showed chromosomal aberrations that were not considerably different from those observed in the
negative control group. The current findings suggest that the plant extracts may contain cytotoxic and anti-mitotic compounds. Further
research to investigate these extracts in more sophisticated test systems and to isolate and characterize their active principles is ongoing.
Description
Scholarly article
Keywords
Olax subscorpioidea , cancer , cytotoxicity , anti-mitotic , Brine shrimp , Research Subject Categories::PHARMACY
Citation
Oladipupo, A., Alaribe, C., Akintemi, T., & Coker, H. (2021). Effect of Phaulopsis falcisepala (Acanthaceae) Leaves and Stems on Mitotic Arrest and Induction of Chromosomal Changes in Meristematic Cells of Allium Cepa. Progress in Chemical and Biochemical Research, 4(2), 134-147. doi: 10.22034/pcbr.2021.256993.1163