IN VITRO CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF METHANOLIC CRUDE EXTRACTS OF TERMINALIA CHEBULA

Abstract

The aim of this work is to observe invitro cytotoxic effect of methanolic crude extracts of Terminalia chebula (Family: Combretaceae). The bark of Terminalia chebula were soaked with methanol and then methanolic crude extract was fractionated into n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and chloroform soluble fractions. The methanolic crude extracts (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, and chloroform soluble fractions) of Terminalia chebula were screened for cytotoxic activity using brine shrimp lethality bioassay. A reputed cytotoxic agent vincristine sulphate used as a positive control. From the results of the brine shrimp lethality bioassay it can be well predicted that methanolic crude extracts (n-hexane, ethyl acetate and chloroform soluble fractions) of Terminalia chebula possess cytotoxic principles, (LC50 1.413 mg/mL, 1.492 mg/mL and 1.496 mg/mL respectively) comparison with positive control, vincristine sulphate (LC50 0.563 mg/mL).