Cytotoxic Activity of Ethyl Acetate Extract of Calotropis gigantea L. Stem Bark and its Fractions against P388 Cells

Abstract

Abstract. The present study deals with the cytotoxic activity of ethyl acetate extract of Calotropis gigantea L. stem bark and its fractions such as A, B, C, D and E fractions on murine leukemia cell line P388.  Qualitative screening of ethyl acetate extract of stem bark of Calotropis gigantea L. for secondary metabolites showed the presence of  phenolics, alkaloids, steroids, flavonoids, saponins and coumarins. Cytotoxic activity of the ethyl acetate extract of this plant and A, B, C, D and E fractions was conducted on P388 cells through MTT assay, with IC₅₀ value 57.05 μg/mL, 60.37 μg/mL, 55.65 μg/mL, and 58.26 μg/mL respectively, while D and E fractions less active. However the potential of the active fractions as indicated by the results in this study needs to be further investigated.

Keywords: Calotropis gigantea, secondary metabolites, cytotoxicity, P388 cells.