Abstract

HERNANDEZ SOSA, Edgar et al. Cytotoxic activity of water extracts of Trichilia hirta leaves on human tumor cells. Rev Cubana Invest Bioméd [online]. 2013, vol.32, n.1, pp. 93-101. ISSN 0864-0300.

Trichilia hirta L. (Meliaceae) is traditionally used by patients suffering from cancer as an antitumoral resource. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the cytotoxic activity of water extracts of Trichilia hirta leaves on tumour cells and identify through a phytochemical screening the principal families of phytocomponents contained in these extracts. The cytotoxic activity of these extracts was also evaluated on human melanoma cells (SK-mel-3) and human breast carcinoma (T-47D). The African green monkey kidney (AGMK) cells Cercopithecus aethiops (Vero) were used as a non-tumour cells control. The results showed the presence of triterpenes/steroids, saponins, coumarins, reductor sugars, phenols and tannins, flavonoids and carbohydrates/glycosides in the extracts. The water leaf extracts showed cytotoxic activity mainly on tumour cells, which contributes to explain the referred recovery by patients suffering form cancer that traditionally consume these extracts.

Keywords : Trichilia hirta; medicinal plants; antitumor; cytotoxicity; phytochemicals.

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