Physicochemical characteristics and cytotoxic effect of the methanolic extract of Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth (Euphorbiaceae)

JÃ©ssica de Andrade Gomes Silva; Gibbelly Cavalcante da Silva; Marilia Grasielly de Farias Silva; Vanessa Farias da Silva; Jaciana dos Santos Aguiar; Teresinha GonÃ§alves da Silva; SÃ&nia Pereira Leite

doi:10.5897/AJPP2017.4798

African Journal of
Pharmacy and Pharmacology

Abbreviation: Afr. J. Pharm. Pharmacol.
Language: English
ISSN: 1996-0816
DOI: 10.5897/AJPP
Start Year: 2007
Published Articles: 2285

Full Length Research Paper

Physicochemical characteristics and cytotoxic effect of the methanolic extract of Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth (Euphorbiaceae)

JÃ©ssica de Andrade Gomes Silva

JÃ©ssica de Andrade Gomes Silva
Departamento de Histologia e Embriologia, Centro de BiociÃªncias, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, 1235 - Cidade UniversitÃ¡ria, CEP: 50670-901, Recife - PE, Brasil.
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Gibbelly Cavalcante da Silva

Gibbelly Cavalcante da Silva
Departamento de Histologia e Embriologia, Centro de BiociÃªncias, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, 1235 - Cidade UniversitÃ¡ria, CEP: 50670-901, Recife - PE, Brasil.
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Marilia Grasielly de Farias Silva

Marilia Grasielly de Farias Silva
Departamento de Histologia e Embriologia, Centro de BiociÃªncias, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, 1235 - Cidade UniversitÃ¡ria, CEP: 50670-901, Recife - PE, Brasil.
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Vanessa Farias da Silva

Vanessa Farias da Silva
Nacional Semi-Arid Institute, Campina Grande, Brazil.
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Jaciana dos Santos Aguiar

Jaciana dos Santos Aguiar
Antibiotics Department, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Brazil.
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Teresinha GonÃ§alves da Silva

Teresinha GonÃ§alves da Silva
Antibiotics Department, Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, Brazil.
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SÃ´nia Pereira Leite

SÃ´nia Pereira Leite
Departamento de Histologia e Embriologia, Centro de BiociÃªncias, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco Avenida Professor Moraes Rego, 1235 - Cidade UniversitÃ¡ria, CEP: 50670-901, Recife - PE, Brasil.
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Article Number - BB336CF65360
Vol.11(28), pp. 321-326 , July 2017
https://doi.org/10.5897/AJPP2017.4798

Received: 18 May 2017
Accepted: 27 June 2017
Published: 29 July 2017

Abstract

Croton heliotropiifolius Kunth is an endemic specie in northeast of Brazil. It is renowned for its medicinal properties, larvicidal and insecticidal actions. This work investigated the chemical compounds present in the methanolic extract of Croton heliotropiifolius and the cytotoxic activity. Physical-chemical analyses were performed by thin-layer chromatography (TLC), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis). Cytotoxic activity was evaluated in the following tumour cell lines; acute promyelocytic leukaemia (HL-60), human breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), human laryngeal carcinoma (hep-2), human lung mucoepidermoid carcinoma (NCI-H292). Results revealed the presence of flavonoids and absence of alkaloids, coumarins, saponins and condensed tannins. HPLC identified Gallic acid with retention time of 1.80 min. The infrared spectrum identified the presence of esters group at 1661 cm^-1 of absorbance. On the other hand, the UV-Vis spectrum revealed bands of light absorbance on 268, 316, 406 nm indicating the presence of phenols and flavonoids. Results showed inhibition of cell growth of 59.5% on HL-60 cells, 46.5% on NCI-H292, 26.7% on Hep-2, and 21.7% on MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, the presence of phenolic compounds in the extract was demonstrated and a low to medium percentage of cell growth inhibition on tumour cell lines tested.

Key words: Croton, Croton heliotropiifolius, flavonoids, gallic acid, cytotoxicity, tumour lines.

Abbreviation

TLC, Thin-layer Chromatography; HPLC, High-Performance Liquid Chromatography; FT-IR, Fourier Transformation Infrared spectroscopy; UV-Vis, Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry; MTT, brometo de 3-(4,5-dimetiltiazol-2-il)-2,5-difeniltetrazólio; HL-60, acute promyelocytic leukaemia; MCF-7, human breast adenocarcinoma; hep-2, human laryngeal carcinoma; NCI-H292, human lung mucoepidermoid carcinoma.