A preliminary evaluation of anticancer and antioxidant potential of two traditional medicinal plants from Lamiaceae-Pogostemon heyneanus and Plectranthus amboinicus

This study investigates the cytotoxic and antioxidant potential of crude leaf extracts of Pogostemon heyneanus (P. heyneanus) and Plectranthus amboinicus (P. amboinicus), medicinal plants from Lamiaceae family. Crude leaf extracts, with methanol, ethanol and chloroform were evaluated for cytotoxicity in two breast cancer cell lines of different grades, MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231, by MTT assay. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was evaluated by DPPH and H2O2 assays. The results of MTT assay revealed that chloroform extract of P. heyneanus and ethanol extract of P. amboinicus were effective against MCF-7 cells. The chloroform extract of P. heyneanus was more effective than P. amboinicus against MDA-MB-231. Effective antioxidant activity was shown by the ethanol extract of P. amboinicus which correlated positively with the total phenol content. The chloroform extract of P. heyneanus, was rich in steroids and saponins which correlated positively with the cytotoxic activity. In conclusion, chloroform soluble leaf extracts of P. heyneanus, which is rich in steroids and saponins shows effective cytotoxicity on both breast cancer lines studied and could be used for identification of a potential anticancer principle, while ethanol extract of P. amboinicus has better potential as an antioxidant.