Abstract

The present study was conducted on Anthocephalus cadamba (Roxb.) Miq. bark methanol extract to evaluate antiproliferative and antioxidant studies along with presence of total phenolic contents. These interferences were accomplished by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, colony formation assay, radical scavenging assay (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and (2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline- 6-sulfonate) and Folin-Ciocalteau reagent method. Results obtained demonstrated that A. cadamba bark methanol extract shown significant antiproliferative activity (IC₅₀=319±4.98 μg/ml) against human cervical cancer cells as compared with standard cisplatin (IC50=5.6±0.52 μg/ml) drug. The high antiradical activity demonstrated by extract against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6- sulfonate) free radicals was compared with standards ascorbic acid, quercetin and rutin. The high amount of total phenolic contents showed phytochemical potency of A. cadamba. The antiproliferative activity of A. cadamba bark methanol extract may be due to induction of apoptosis which is credited to the phenolic contents. Therefore, further in depth studies are needed to scrutinize the molecular based mechanism involved in antiproliferative activity of A. cadamba bark along with isolation and identification of active principles.