Anti-leukemia Activity of Methanolic Extracts of Lantana camara

Anticancer effect of Lantana camara’s root and leaf extracts against Jurkat leukemia cell line was investigated by MTT assay. These extracts had statistically similar antineoplastic property (root IC₅₀, 328.36 ± 53.08 μg/ml; leaf, 394.41 ± 99.73 μg/ml; p > 0.1, n = 3), averagely 1/10 times as activity as carboplatin (IC50 34.83 ± 3.60 μg/ml; p < 0.05, n = 3). Decreasing cytotoxicity at higher concentrations implied the existence of cytoprotective compounds. Morphological examinations indicated apoptosis induction as the mechanism of activity on Jurkat cells. In conclusion, L. camara’s root and leaf extracts might be subjects for further fractionation and identification to find new anticancer agents.