In-vitro Evaluation of Cytotoxic and Anthelmintic Activity of Luffa acutangula, Luffa aegyptiaca and Momordica cochinchinensis

Aims: The study was designed to investigate cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of aerial parts of Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Jhinga’), Luffa aegyptiaca Mill. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Dhundul’) and Momordica cochinchinensis (Lour.) Spreng. (Family: Cucurbitaceae, locally known as ‘Kakrol’) extracted with various solvents (petroleum ether & methanol). Study Design: Determination of cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of aerial parts of three (Cucurbitaceae family) Bangladeshi plants. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Pharmacy, Jahangirnagar University, Savar, Dhaka-1342. Performed between November 2011- September 2012. Methodology: The cytotoxic activity was evaluated by Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay and anthelmintic activity by in-vitro test using earth worm Pheretima posthuma (Annelida) as test animals. Results: In Brine Shrimp lethality bioassay, methanol extract of M. cochinchinensis and L. aegyptiaca were found to be highly toxic to Brine Shrimp nauplii, having LC50 of 1.91±0.79 μg/ml and 3.97±0.61 μg/ml respectively. The three methanol extracts of aerial part of L. acutangula, L. aegyptiaca and M. cochinchinensis showed moderate anthelmintic activity. 50mg/ml concentration of methanol extract of M. cochinchinensis showed maximum activity showing death in test animals at 43±1.3 min which is comparable to the standard (Piperazine Citrate, 10 mg/ml) which killed the test animal at 38 ± 0.63 min. Conclusion: Further studies are suggested to be undertaken to understand the underlying mechanism of the observed cytotoxic and anthelmintic activity of these three Bangladeshi (Cucurbitaceae family) plants.