Evaluation of Adenanthera pavonina Bark Extracts for Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity against Cancer Cell Lines

Plant materials were used for the treatment of malignant diseases for centuries. Various studies on plant extract which have a suitable history of use in folklore for the treatment of cancer had often resulted in the isolation of principles with anti-tumour activity. In the present study, the anti-proliferative effect of acetone and methanol bark extracts of Adenanthera pavonina on three cancer cell lines using sulforhodamine-B assay and their antioxidant activities using 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydazyl radical and its reducing ability were investigated. NCI-H460, U251, and MCF7 cancer cell lines were used in this assay. The GI50 value of methanol extract showed a lowest value of 27g/mL against NCI-H460. The antioxidant and the reducing power assay showed a significant dose dependant activity. The study also suggests that antioxidant activity of these extracts might be one of the reasons for the anticancer potential of the extracts.