Phytochemical and In Vitro Cytotoxic Evaluation of Chloroform Extract of Ehretia Laevis Roxb.

Abstract

Ehretia laevis has been widely employed as a traditional remedy for the mitigation of an ample range of disorders of several infections of gastrointestinal tract, respiratory and reproductive system. Ethnobotanical survey reveals that E. laevis has been used by numerous tribal communities of Asia against wide variety of disorders [1]. In the present studies the dried powdered leaves of E. laevis were defatted with petroleum ether followed by hot continuous extraction with chloroform. The chloroform extract was subjected to in vitro cytotoxic activity against a panel of human cancerous cell lines such as PC-3, A-549, HCT-116 and HL-60 using SRB assay at 50 µM [2]. The chloroform extract exhibited significant cytotoxicity activity against PC-3 and HCT-116 cell lines. It elicited 79.43 % and 75.23 % inhibition against PC-3 and HCT-116 cell lines respectively. Phytochemical screening of E. laevis extract confirmed the presence of phenolic acids, triterpenoids, steroids, fatty acids and alkaloids [3]. The consequences of limited therapeutic screening and reported bioactive phytomolecules of E. laevis advocate that there is an urgent need for in-depth anticancer evaluation of the plant. E. laevis can also be used as potential plant against cancer in future.