RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the cytotoxic activities of chemical constituents in alcohol extract of the stem bark of Murraya exotica L. METHODS: The cytotoxicity against five cancer cell lines, U937, HL-60, K562, Bel7402 and Hela, were assayed by MTT and SRB METHODS. The constituents were isolated from Murraya exotica L. by routine chromatographic METHODS and the structures of the isolates were elucidated by NMR techniques. The antitumor effect was evaluated on cancer cells in vitro. RESULTS: When the cancer cells were exposed to the extract for more than 48 h, the survival rate decreased with the increase of the drug concentration. Four compounds were isolated and identified as isolariciresinol (I), dimethoxy isolariciresinol (II), 3-methoxyisolariciresinol (III), and 5'-methoxyisolariciresinol (IV). CONCLUSION: The active ingredients in Murraya exotica L. have antitumor activities, which may be compounds I and II.