ASSESMENT OF CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF METHANOLIC CRUDE EXTRACTS OF AZADIRACTA INDICA

ABSTRACT: The aim of the research is to observe the cytotoxic activity of methanolic crude extracts of Azadirachta indica, a plant belonging to the family Meliaceae. The root of Azadirachta indica was extracted with organic solvent and the extracts were fractionated by using three fractions (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and chloroform). The crude extracts were screened for antitumor properties using brine shrimp lethality bioassay. A reputed cytotoxic agent, vincristine sulphate was used as a positive control. From the results of the brine shrimp lethality bioassay it can be well predicted that n-hexane, ethyl acetate, chloroform soluble fractions of Azadirachta indica possess cytotoxic principles (LC50 1.429 mg/mL, 2.368 mg/mL and 1.479 mg/mL respectively) comparison with positive control vincristine sulphate (LC50 0.563 mg/mL).