Abstract

Strobilanthes crispus (Acanthaceae) is widely used for treatment of cancer in the South Asian region. In this study, validation of GC-TOF mass spectrophotometric methods for quantitative determination of phytoconstituents in methanolic and aqueous extracts of S. crispus was conducted. The cytotoxicity of standardised methanolic and aqueous extracts of S. crispus was assessed against a panel of human cancer cell lines, namely breast carcinoma (MCF7), colon carcinoma (HCT 116), hepatocellular carcinoma (Hep G2), non-small cell lung adenocarcinoma (NCI-H23) and human breast ductal carcinoma (T-47D) cells and one normal colonic fibroblast cell line (CCD-18Co). The cell proliferation assay was performed using tetrazolium (MTT) method. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of the extracts on angiogenesis was evaluated using ex vivo rat aortic ring assay. Finally, the antioxidant properties of both extracts were studied using DPPH free radical, xanthine oxidase activity and β-carotene-linoleate model system. Aqueous extract was found to be nontoxic towards all cell lines used, while the methanolic extract exhibited cytotoxic response towards the T-47D and MCF7 cells. Both the extracts demonstrated detectable anti-angiogenic activity. The extracts displayed very strong inhibitory activity towards xanthine oxidase enzyme, however, they demonstrated moderate antioxidant properties, which is evidenced by the quenching of DPPH free radical and preventing the bleaching of β-carotene by linoleic acid.