Abstract

Erycibe elliptilimba Merr and Chun., family Convolvulaceae, is a Thai traditional medicine that has long been used as a remedy for various infectious and malignant diseases. Biological examination of extracts from E. elliptilimba showed that the methanol fraction (F3) had significant antiproliferative effects on four human leukemic cell lines (NB4, HT93A, Kasumi and K562) with IC₅₀ values of 57.74, 63.76, 69.55 and 47.58 µg/ml, respectively. It induced apoptosis without significant change in the cell cycle process of those cell lines, especially NB4 and HT93A. The significant levels of apoptosis on NB4 and HT93A were 89.13 and 61.21%. The methanol fraction was further chromatographed to produce special extracts F3.1-3.7. The antiproliferative test showed growth inhibition of human leukemic cell lines produced by F3.6 with IC₅₀ values of 22.68, 31.54, 28.88 and 47.72 µg/ml, respectively. Isolation of the major component in F3.6 was performed and resulted in compound E, which was identified as a mixture of ß-sitosteryl and stigmasteryl-O-b-glucopyranosides. In conclusion, this active fraction (F3.6) from E. elliptilimba Merr and Chun. contained ß-sitosteryl and stigmasteryl glucosides (compound E) as a major compound. It will be used as a marker compound in the standardization of the active fraction (F3.6), which will be further studied for the antiproliferative effect.

Key words: Erycibe elliptilimba, antiproliferative effect, NB4, K562.