Cytotoxicity screening of Melastoma malabathricum extracts on human breast cancer cell lines in vitro

• Published in: Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
• Main Authors: Nurfariza Ahmad Roslen, Nur Aizura Mat Alewi, Hadji Ahamada, Mohammad Syaiful Bahari Abdull Rasad
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2014
• Subjects: Melastoma malabathricum; Cytotoxicity; Human breast cancer; MCF-7; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Biology (General); QH301-705.5; Arctic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.12980/APJTB.4.2014C658; https://doaj.org/article/54100bb8d12f4399af007ea7098f6616

Objective: To screen the cytotoxic activity of Melastoma malabathricum (M. malabathricum) against human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) in vitro. Methods: A three steps extraction protocol using n-hexane, chloroform and methanol as the solvents systems was carried out on leaves, stems and flowers of M. malabathricum. Dimethyl sulfoxide was used in extracts dilution and serial dilutions were conducted to obtain five different extract concentrations (100 μg/mL, 50 μg/mL, 25 μg/mL, 12.5 μg/mL and 6.25 μg/mL). The evaluation of cell growth was determined using methylene blue assay. Results: Methanol extract from the leaves showed significant anticancer activity against MCF-7 cell lines with the IC50 value of 7.14 μg/ml while methanol and chloroform extract from the flowers exhibited a moderate activity towards MCF-7 cell line with the IC50 value of 33.63 μg/mL and 45.76 μg/mL respectively after 72 h of treatment. Conclusions: The extracts from leaves and flowers of M. malabathricum showed promising anticancer activity toward human breast cancer cell lines with the lowest IC50 at 7.14 μg/mL while the extracts from stems showed less growth inhibition activity.