Anti‐proliferative effects of pandan leaves (Pandanus amarylfolius), kantan flower (Etlingera elatior) and turmeric leaves (Curcuma longa)

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to screen cytotoxic activities of commonly used culinary plants in Malaysia, Pandanus amaryllifolius (daun pandan), Curcuma longa (turmeric leaves) and Etlingera elatior (kantan flower) against selected cancer cell lines.

Design/methodology/approach

Plant samples were extracted exhaustively with ethanol and concentrated under rotary evaporator. Cytotoxic evaluation was carried out with plant extracts (0‐100 μg/ml) using 72‐h MTT assay.

Findings

Exposure of plant extracts reduced cell viability of HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma), HT‐29 (colon carcinoma), MDA‐MB‐231 (non‐hormone‐dependent breast cancer), MCF‐7 (hormone‐dependent breast cancer) and HeLa (cervical cancer); 50 percent inhibitory values (IC₅₀) were obtained for MDA‐MB‐231, HepG2, HT‐29. Extracts within the concentrations of 10‐100 μg/ml were found not to be effective against proliferation of MCF‐7 and HeLa.

Originality/value

The paper shows how culinary plants – daun pandan, turmeric leaves and kantan flower displayed selective cytotoxic effects towards liver, colon and breast cancer in vitro.

Citation

Hueh Zan, C., Rahmat, A., Abdah, Akim, Banu Mohd. Alitheen, N., Othman, F. and Ee Cheng Lian, G. (2011), "Anti‐proliferative effects of pandan leaves (Pandanus amarylfolius), kantan flower (Etlingera elatior) and turmeric leaves (Curcuma longa)", Nutrition & Food Science, Vol. 41 No. 4, pp. 238-241. https://doi.org/10.1108/00346651111151366