Abstract

IN-VITRO CYTOTOXICITY OF MILONINE ISOLATED FROM CISSAMPELOS SYMPODIALIS EICHL (MENISPERMACEAE) ON VERO CELL LINE

Gleyka D. M. Santos*, Erwelly B. Oliveira, Cláudio G. Rodrigues, José M. Barbosa-Filho, Eliete C. Silva and Paloma L. Medeiros

ABSTRACT

The family Menispermaceae is well known for producing various types of alkaloids, especially morphinandienones. Milonine is a morphinandienone alkaloid from Cissampelos sympodialis Eichl, a plant popularly used in northeastern Brazil for inflammatory diseases. The aim of this work was to investigate the cytotoxic effect of milonine on Vero cell line. In vitro cytotoxicity of milonine in different concentrations (1.95 a 1000 μM) was evaluated by MTT assay. Cell morphological were observed by phase-contrast microscopy. Significant toxicity was determined (CC50 = 300 μM). Morphological changes were noted from 250 μM. The cells changed their spindle-shaped to rounded and wrinkled shapes. Milonine was not toxic to Vero cells at low concentrations and other experiments are being conducted with other cell lines.

Keywords: Cissampelos sympodialis, Cytotoxicity in vitro, Milonine, Vero cell.