Anticancer Activity of Methanol and Hexane Extract of Pereskia grandifolia Haw Leaves Against Human Cervical (HeLa) Cells Line

Abstract

Pereskia grandifolia Haw belongs to the Cactaceae family. This plant is claimed by local community in Malay to have medicinal properties to treat a variety of illnesses including diabetes, gastric pain, cancer, anti-inflammation, ulcer and hypertension. The objective of this research is to examine the anticancer activity of P. grandifolia leaves methanol and hexane extract against cervical cancer cell line (HeLa) culture. Leaves powder were extracted using methanol and hexane. Anticancer activity was measured by MTT [3- (4,5-dimetilthiazol-2-il)-2,5-difeniltetrazolium bromida) assay method. The result indicated that P. grandifolia leaves methanol extract possessed low anticancer activity against HeLa cell line with the IC50 value of 826.13 µg/ml, 928.42 µg/ml 899.90 µg/ml respectively and leaves hexane extract with the IC50 values of 816.85 µg/ml, 1,416 µg/ml, and 749.70 µg/ml respectively after incubated 24, 48 and 72 hours. The result indicated the possible use of medical plant, P. grandifolia as a source of chemopreventive agents.