Mintage Journal of Pharmaceutical and Medical Sciences (ISSN: 2320-3315)

Author(s): MAII A. I. MAAMOUN 1*, SALMA A. EL-SAWI 1, HEMAIA M. MOTAWAE 1, MOHAMED A. SLEEM2, ABDEL-RAHMAN O. EL-SHABRAWY2, HAWASW. USAMA3AND AYMAN A. FARGHALY

Objective: To Investigate the Cytotoxic effect of the plant Juniperus phoeniceaL. growing inEgypt.Main outcome measures: SRB and MTT assays are used to measure the antiproliferative activity of crude and successive extracts as well as the isolated flavonoids. Also, in vivocytogenetic assays were carried out. Results: The antiproliferative effect of leaves crude extract of Juniperus phoeniceaL. done by SRB assay showed high activity against lung carcinoma (H460), liver tumor (HEPG2) and breast carcinoma (MCF7) cell lines (IC50= 0.6, 0.9 and 4.9μg/mL,  respectively). Consecutively, among the successive extracts of leaves, the ethyl acetate fraction was the most active against (H460) (IC50=7.29μg/mL). On the other hand, the antiproliferative effect of berries crude extract of J. phoeniceadone by MTT assay showed 21% lethality at conc. 100 ppm against HEPG2. Phytochemical investigation of J. phoenicearesulted in the isolation and identification of 4 flavonoids; isoetin-7-O-β-glucoside which was isolated for the first time  from  berries  extract,  isoscutellarein,  amentoflavone  and agathisflavonewhich  was  isolated  for  the  first  time  from  leaves  and  berries  extracts.  Investigating  the antiproliferative  activity  of  the  isolated  flavonoids  by  MTT  assay  revealed  that agathisflavonerecorded  high  activity  against  HEPG2,  colon  carcinoma  (HC112)  and  (H460)(IC50 =3.5, 53.1 and 59.9 μg/mL, respectively). In vivocytogenetic assays (Micronucleus and Chromosome aberrations tests) were carried out on agathisflavoneshowed that no significant differences between treated and negative control groups were observed in the Micronucleus level in polychromatic erythrocytes and in chromosome aberrations in  both  tests,  respectively,  which  indicates  the  safety  of agathisflavoneon  normal  cells.Conclusion: Juniperus phoenicealeaves  exhibited  more  efficient  antiproliferative activity than berries. Also, the biflavone; agathisflavone, isolated for the first time from leaves and berries showedthepotentantiproliferative effect on cancer cell lines and is safe for normal cells of mice under the experimental conditions