Abstract

The aim of the study is to evaluate the anticancer effect of Limonia acidissima Linn. (Family Rutaceae) which has long been prescribed for various infectious and malignant diseases. The fruit extract of L. acidissima Linn. has been carried out by following due procedure. Cell lines, cultures were incorporated and procured for in-vitro and in-vivo study with reference to cell proliferation assay, cell viability assay and cell cycle analysis. The bio-assays of extracts fromL. acidissima Linn. showed that a fraction (fraction 3) from an ethanolic extract had an anticancer effect on SKBR3 and MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer cells. The ED₅₀ value of L. acidissima Linn. fraction 3 was 56.07 and 30.61 μg/ml for SKBR3 and MDA-MB-435, respectively. After 48 h of exposure, this fraction at a concentration of 100 μg/ml, significantly reduced cell proliferation in both cancer cells. In MDA-MB-435 cells, cell cycle analysis showed that the fruit extract fraction 3 induced the accumulation of cells in G2/M phase, whereas no significant change in cell cycle was detected in SKBR3 cells. The results indicated that the extract fraction could induce cell cycle arrest in some way. However, further investigation is needed to assess the molecular mechanisms that mediated anticancer activities of this plant.

Key words: Anticancer; SKBR3, MDA-MB-435, Limonia acidissima Linn., G2/M arrest.