Antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of Acanthus ilicifolius flower

ABSTRACT

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of the flower of Acanthus ilicifolius (A. ilicifolius).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Antioxidant activity was determined as antiradical efficiency with diphenyl picrylhydrazil (DPPH) method and cytotoxic assay was undertaken using brine shrimp lethal toxicity test.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A. ilicifolius flower contained terpenoid, phenolic compounds, and alkaloid. The methanol extract of A. ilicifolius flower showed the highest antiradical efficiency (AE=1.41×10(-3)) against DPPH radicals and the highest cytotoxicity (LC50=22 µg/mL) against brine shrimp nauplii.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It is suggested that active compounds of A. ilicifolius flower solved in methanol play a role to inhibit free radical activity and kill Artemia salina nauplii. The substances can be considered as potential antioxidant and cytotoxic agents as well as imminent candidate for cancer therapy.</p>