Exploring the anti-cancer potential of Ixora extracts: A multi-cell line approach

Bioactive anticancer compounds like alkaloid camptothecin and flavonoids rutin, quercetin and kaempferol have been isolated from Ixora coccinea. Being commercially important, research towards finding more plants with anticancer compounds belonging to genus Ixora is on the forefront. Anti cell proliferative potential of ethanolic plant part extracts of I. pavetta, I. barbata, I. javanica and I. undulata were studied against three cancer cell lines namely, Human leukemia cancer cell line K-562, Human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and Human lung cancer cell line A-549 using SRB assay. The result of anti-cell proliferative activity is further correlated with the total flavonoid content of aerial parts and total alkaloid content of underground parts of plants estimated by spectrophotometric assay. The root extract of I. javanica exhibited the best results with GI50 values of