RESUMO
Objective To evaluate the cytotoxic activity of wood extracts of Lunasia amara Blanco (L. amara) and to perform further phytochemical standardization. Methods The wood extracts of L. amara were assessed for cytotoxic activity by in vitro tetrazolium bromide (MTT) method against two human cancer cell lines, cervical cancer cells (HeLa) and breast cancer cells (T47D). Thin layer chromatography, Dragendorf, acetic anhydride-sulfuric acid and ferric chloride were used to detect alkaloids, steroids and polyphenols, respectively. Furthermore, quantitative determination of total alkaloid by ultra fast liquid chromatography-photodiode array detection using lunacrine as a marker compound was performed as well. Results The ethyl acetate extract exhibited higher cell-growth inhibition than methanol and n-hexane extracts on HeLa and T47D cancer line cells with the IC