ISMJ

Background: Nowadays, toxic compounds derived from plants used against microbes and cancer cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate cytotoxicity and anticancer activity of two species of Daphne, Betulin and Betulinic acid by Artemia urmiana Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) and trypan blue exclusion method.

Material and Methods: This study was conducted as the experimental design. 10⁶ cells of K562, MCF-7 cancerous cell line in triplicate were poured into the cultured dishes containing medium and incubated for 24 hour. Cells were treated with various concentration of the plant extract and plant compound for for 24 hour. Cell viability was assessed using trypan blue dye exclusion method. Cytotoxicity evaluation was performed using larvae hatched cysts were purchased from Artemia Research Center, Urmia University. Live shrimp larvae were treated with different concentrations of extract and the numbers of live and dead larvae were counted after 24 hours. lethal concentration %50 (LC50) of any extracts on live larvae based on the data w Was obtained. The data were analyzed using the Varience and Probit analysis.

Results: inhibition proliferation 50% of Betulin, and Betulinic acid in treated cells line K562
(5.8±1.2 1nM, 12.2±0.67 nM, respectively) and MCF-7 (18.04±1.11 nM, 21.47±0.37 nM) were measured. Hydro ethanol extracts of Daphne mucronata and Daphne oleoides exhibited potent brine shrimp lethality with lethal dose 50 % of them was 2.01±0.16 mgDW/ml, 2.37±0.88mgDW/ml respectively. In both tests, the effect of plant material was directly related to their concentration.

Conclusion: According to the results, Daphne mucronata and Betulin were the most effective herbal substance. Thus, we can conclude that Daphne mucronata contains anticancer and toxic compounds.