Screening of Medical Plants on Skin Cancer Cell Lines A375 and B16 Using Cell Viability Assay

2019 dissertation for MRes. According to the cancer research UK (2017), 14.1 million new cases of cancer were registered leading to the death of 8.2 million patients in 2012. It is estimated that by 2030, the incidence rate of cancer will rise to 23.6 million cases per year. (2017). Skin cancer melanoma is the 5th most common cancer in the UK as per Cancer Research UK (2015). This study focuses on skin cancer melanoma due to its increasing mortality rate. This study aims to screen medicinal plants from across the world against skin cancer melanoma. 26 medicinal plants were extracted with chloroform and methanol. 52 extracts of 26 plants were screened for anti-proliferation against human skin cancer melanoma cell line A375 and mice skin cancer melanoma cell line B16, using a colorimetric assay MTT. Plants like Horsetail and Melissa officinalis have shown significant results in decrease of cell viability. Melissa officinalis Lemon Balm has majorly shown a significant decrease in % cell viability in methanol extracts (IC₅₀= 0.39μg/ml) in comparison to positive control (IC₅₀= 0.65μg/ml) on B16 cell line. Equisetum arvense Horsetail shows less than 25% cell viability across all the extracts and cell lines. This study unveils interesting anticancer activity of some medicinal plants from across the world.