CYTOTOXIC AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF Strychnos nux-vomica

The objective of our study is to evaluate the cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous leaves extract of Strychnos nux-vomica using phosphate buffered saline (PBS, pH 7.2) and determined the presence of secondary metabolites in the aqueous extract through HPTLC. In the present study, our group focused on the following bioassays for determine its cytotoxicity and anti-inflammatory activity of aqueous leaves extract i.e. MTT using Con A (Concanavalin A) and hepatitis B vaccine containing surface antigen [HBsAg]; Th1 [IFN-gamma and TNF alpha] type of cytokines from cell culture supernatant of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and analyzing the lymphocytes, monocytes and granulocytes count in human whole blood. The results showed that aqueous leaves extract showed inhibitory effect on T cell proliferation (Con A and HBsAg), Th1 (IFN-gamma and TNF alpha) type of cytokines in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and also decline in the number monocytes as well as granulocytes count in human whole blood as compared to control. Overall, the studies reveal that Strychnos nux-vomica showed cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activity in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells and human whole blood.