ABSTRACT
Background: Various researchers have stated a causal association of betle quid chewing with oral cancer and other potentially malignant disorders of oral cavity. On the contrary, Piper betle leaf when used alone has potential medicinal benefits including anticancer, anti-helminthic, hepato-protective and antioxidant activities. In this is study we examined the anti-cancer activity of Piper betle extract (aqueous) on KB- cancer cell lines Aims: To observe the anti- cancer activity of Piper betle leaf extract on KB cancer cell lines. Setting and Design: The study was conducted in Biogenix Research Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. The KB cancer cell lines were procured from NCCS, Pune. Methods and Material: The cancer cell lines were treated with increasing concentration of Piper betle leaf extract 6.25,12,25,50 & 100?g/ml. The cytotoxic effect of the extract on the cells was studied by physical indicators of cytotoxic changes by observing the cells under an inverted phase contrast microscope, for any detectable changes in the cell morphology and by MTT assay method to assess the percentage of viability of cells. Results: The cancer cells showed considerable changes in the cell morphology suggestive of cell cytotoxicity and apoptosis after the treatment with the extract. The results of the MTT assay showed that the percentage viability of the cancer cells decreased with increasing concentrations of the extract, The percentage of viability of cells was noted to be 43.42% with the highest concentration of 100?g/ml of Piper betle leaf extract which proves that Piper betle leaf extract has anticancer activity. Conclusion: The cytotoxic potential of Piper betle leaf may be used to develop chemotherapeutic agent, but further focused studies of anticancer properties and isolation of compounds from Piper betle leaf are necessary to prove its worth in the cancer therapy.