Authors : P.A. Onocha , E.O. Ajaiyeoba and M.S. Ali
Abstract: Antileishmaniasis, phytotoxicity and cytotoxicity of the methanolic extracts of the root, stem and leaves of Pycnanthus angolensis was evaluated in vitro, as part of the screening of ethno - medically useful plants from the Nigerian flora for biological activity and constituents. Brine shrimp lethality has been extensively used as a tool to screen active natural products. Bioactive compounds are often toxic to Artemia salina (shrimp eggs) and it has been observed that natural antitumor compounds can inhibit the growth of Lemna minor. The antileishmanial activity was assessed using promastigote culture of Pakistani leishmanial strain (L. major) in 96 well micro titer plate bioassay, phytotoxicity using the Lemna bioassay and cytotoxicity using brine shrimp lethality assay. The methanolic extract of the root and stem exhibited dose dependent phytotoxicity while the leaf methanolic extract only displayed significantly phytotoxicity at the highest dose investigated. The stem methanolic extract was found to be leishmanicidal with an IC50 of 70.59 �g mL 1and exhibited no cytotoxicity. The root methanolic extract exhibited cytotoxicity with a positive lethality of LD50 727.70 �g mL 1 and was not leishmanicidal. The leaf methanolic extract was neither leishmanicidal nor cytotoxic. These results could be considered a valuable support of the ethnomedical uses of the plant.
P.A. Onocha , E.O. Ajaiyeoba and M.S. Ali , 2008. In vitro Antileishmaniasis, Phyto and Cytotoxicity of Pycnanthus angolensis Methanolic Extracts. Research Journal of Medical Sciences, 2: 178-181.