Antiproliferative and anticancer activities of Neurada procumbens L. against epithelial carcinoma and breast cancer cell lines

Abstract

Neurada procumbens L. commonly called as sand button, is used as a medicinal herb by Bedouin in the Arabia Peninsula for heart and respiratory functions. This little known plant has not been investigated in detail for its biological activities. Hence, we have made an attempt to investigate the plant for its anticancer activities. Methanol and chloroform extracts of N.procumbens were evaluated for antiproliferative and anticancer activities in HEp-2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines. Humanforeskin epithelial cells showed an IC50 value of 34 μg and 149 μg for chloroform and methanol extracts, respectively. Thechloroform extract of N. procumbens @3 μg showed 50% reduction of HEp-2 cell population in 24 h, while 5.5 μg showedsimilar effects in MCF-7 cells. The results of the methanol extracts were little varied, where 49 μg showed slow inhibitionof HEp-2 cells over a period of 72 h. In another similar observation, 76 μg of methanol extract inhibited 50% MCF-7 cellproliferation. The concentrations which could inhibit complete turnover of the experimental cancer cell lines at 24 h were>5 μg and 6 μg of chloroform extract and > 60 μg and 80 μg of methanol extract for HEp-2 and MCF-7, respectively. Themicro therapeutic index of methanol extract in HEp-2 and MCF-7 were 3 and 1.9, while chloroform extract was 11.3 and6.1. This is an initial observation of N. procumbens that shows antiproliferative activities against cancer cell lines.