Cytotoxicity of different extracts of Mucuna pruriens seeds on hepatoma cells but not on normal hepatic cells

Cancer has become leading cause of death in India as well as world. Synthetic anticancer agents have costly and highly toxic to human body. Therefore, it is necessary to discover new therapeutic agents from natural origin for this disease. Materials and Methods: Mucuna pruriens Linn. (MP) (family Fabaceae), is widely used in folk medicine and there is no any such report on antiproliferative effects of this plant. The first objective of this study is to investigate the anticancer properties using hepatoma cells of MP seeds. The first objective of this study is to investigate the anticancer properties of MP seeds by using/on hepatoma cells. Secondly, it is necessary to explore its hepatotoxicity potential in normal cells as well. Therefore, the other objective of this study is to investigate the toxicity using normal hepatic cells. To achieve this goal, hot extraction of MP seeds were performed using petroleum ether 60-80°C (PE), ethyl acetate (EA) and Methanol (ME) as a solvent. All the three extracts were subjected to screen for anti-proliferative action using human hepatoma cell line (Huh-7 cells) at different concentrations from 0.5 to 100 µg/ml, followed by apoptotic activity using caspase-3 enzymes. On the other hand, hepatoprotective activity was performed using human primary hepatic cells (THLE-2 cells). Results: Our result collectively suggested that both EA and ME extract possessed anti-proliferative action on Huh-7 cells and less cytotoxic action on normal cells. Conclusion: Among these two extracts, it is demonstrated for the first time that ME extracts of MP seeds have cytotoxic effect on hepatoma cells but not on normal hepatic cells.