Cytotoxic evaluations of Iranian conifers on cancer ells

Abstract

In this study, branchlets, fruit, or bark of Taxus baccata L. as well as branchlets or fruits of two other species of Iranian conifers, namely, Platycladus orientalis France and Cupressus sempervirens L. var. horizentalis (Mill) Gunde were collected, identified, and the cytotoxic effects of hydroalcoholic extracts on three human tumor cell lines were determined. Different concentrations of extracts were added to cultured cells and incubated for 72 h. Cell survival was evaluated using the MTT assay. Extracts from bark of female Taxus baccata showed inhibitory activities against Hela cells. The extracts of the branchlets of male and female T. baccata as well as obtained extract from fruits of P. orientalis showed inhibitory activities against MDA-MB-468 cells, whereas the extracts of branchlets of female T. baccata showed inhibitory activities against KB cells. In conclusion, obtained extract from bark of T. baccata showed comparable cytotoxic effect to doxorubicin against Hela cells. © 2005 Taylor & Francis Ltd.