In vitro anticancer activity of ethanolic extract of Stoechospermum marginatum against HT-29 human colon adenocarcinoma cells

Colorectal cancer is a one of the leading causes of death globally and its clinical management of cancer involves chemotherapy. Increase in the development of resistance to the drugs used in the cancer treatment and serious side effects associated with chemotherapeutic drugs are the major limitations in cancer therapy. Hence, there exists a huge need to develop safer natural therapeutic products for cancer therapy. In this study, ethanolic extract of Stoechospermum marginatum was evaluated for its anticancer activity. The cytotoxicity of S. marginatum extract was evaluated on HT-29 cells by MTT assay. Trypan blue cell viability was also carried out to evaluate cytotoxicity and antiproliferative effect. The apoptosis-inducing potential of the extract was analyzed by acridine orange and ethidium bromide dual staining method, mitochondria' membrane potential assay and FITC Annexin V-Propidium iodide staining method. The ethanolic extract of S. marginatum showed significant dose-dependent cytotoxicity in HT-29 cells Treatment with S. marginatum extract increased number of apoptotic cells in HT-29 cells and caused damage to mitochondria' membrane potential. The findings of the present study confirmed in vitro anticancer activity of ethanolic extract S. marginatum