Cytotoxicity and phytotoxicity of some selected medicinal plants of the family Polygonaceae

Abstract

The cytotoxicity of the crude methanolic extracts of Rumex hastatus, Rumex dentatus, Rumex nepalensis, Rheum australe, Polygonum persicaria and Polygonum plebejum (Family Polygonaceae) was determined against Artemia salina at 1000, 100 and 10 μg/ml. R. hastatus, R. dentatus and R. nepalensis showed significant activity at a concentration of 1000 μg/ml against Artemia salina. R. australe showed low activity at 1000 μg/ml and no activity at 100 and 10 μg/ml. At concentration of 10 μg/ml, R. australe showed no activity. Similarly the phytotoxicity of the crude extracts of these six plants was determined against Lemna minor. All the plants except R. hastatus showed significant activity at a concentration of 1000 μg/ml. Moderate activity was shown by R. australe, R. nepalensis and P. persicaria at the concentration of 100 μg/ml. All the plants showed low phytotoxic activity at concentration of 10 μg/ml. © 2010 Academic Journals.