In vitro Response of Cancer Cells to the Growth-Inhibitory Effects of Dichloromethane Extract of Goniothalamus umbrosus

This present study aims to investigate whether Goniothalamus umbrosus extract has anticancer effects on several human cancer cells namely, the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, HT-29 colon cancer cell line and CEM-ss leukemia cell line. Morphological changes and probable mode of cancer cell death induced by these G. umbrosus extract was examined. The dichloromethane plant extract of G. umbrosus was investigated for its cytotoxic activities on the human cancer cells using a 3 days MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay. The MTT assay results revealed that the extract has anticancer effects on human breast cancer cells (MCF-7). Half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of the hexane extract was found to be 19.5±0.338 mg mL-1 and this concentration was further used in investigations towards MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Both inverted and fluorescence microscopic studies demonstrated that treated MCF-7 breast cancer cells using IC50 of the extract displayed a number of typical morphological changes. Appearance of membrane blebs, DNA condensation and fragmentation are significant signs of apoptosis. The above findings suggested, that the hexane extract of Goniothalamus umbrosus has potential therapeutic effect towards human breast cancer cells that requires further investigations in future.