Phenolic content, antioxidant effect and cytotoxic activity of <it>Leea indica</it> leaves

• Main Authors: Reddy Nidyaletchmy (Author), Navanesan Suerialoasan (Author), Sinniah Saravana (Author), Wahab Norhanom (Author), Sim Kae (Author)
• Format: Knjiga
• Izdano: BMC, 2012-08-01T00:00:00Z.
• Teme: article
• Online dostop: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.1186/1472-6882-12-128; 1472-6882
• Keywords: <it>Leea indica</it>; Vitaceae; Antioxidant; Colon cancer cells; Phenolic content; Other systems of medicine; RZ201-999
• Source: BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, Vol 12, Iss 1, p 128 (2012)

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The leaves of <it>Leea indica</it> (Vitaceae), commonly known as 'Huo Tong Shu' in Malaysia, have been traditionally used as natural remedy in folk medicine by the locals. The current study reports the outcome of antioxidant and cytotoxic investigation of <it>L. indica</it> leaves. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of <it>L. indica</it> leaf crude ethanol and its fractionated extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate and water) for evaluation of total phenolic content, antioxidant effect and cytotoxic activity against colon cancer cell lines.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In the present study, <it>L. indica</it> leaf crude ethanol and its fractionated extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate and water) were firstly prepared prior to phenolic content, antioxidant effect and cytotoxic activity assessment. Folin-Ciocalteau's method was used for the measurement of total phenolic content of the extracts. The antioxidant activity was measured by employing three different established testing systems, such as scavenging activity on DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radicals, reducing power assay and SOD (superoxide dismutase) activity assay. The cytotoxic activity of the extracts were evaluated against three colon cancer cell lines with varying molecular characteristics (HT-29, HCT-15 and HCT-116) by MTT [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] assay.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The total phenolic content and antioxidant capabilities differed significantly among the <it>L. indica</it> leaf extracts. A strong correlation between total phenolic content and antioxidant properties was found, indicating that phenolic compounds are the major contributor to the antioxidant properties of these extracts. Among the crude ethanol and its fractionated extracts, fractionated water extract showed significantly the highest total phenolic content and strongest antioxidant effect in all the antioxidant testing systems employed in this study. All the four extracts exert no damage to the selected colon cancer cells.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The data obtained in these testing systems clearly establish the antioxidant potency of the fractionated water extract of <it>L. indica</it> leaves. Additional studies should be carried out to isolate and identify the bioactive compounds in the fractionated water extract, in order to provide more convincing evidence.</p>