Methods: An aqueous preparation of B. javanica was tested on cultured KB (ATCC, US) and ORL-48 (CARIF, Malaysia) cancer cells for anti-proliferative activity using the neutral red assay and the IC50 was determined. Extract-treated cells were then subjected to histochemical fluorescent staining using the TUNEL assay. Gel electrophoresis was carried out to analyze the band patterns of DNA harvested from the extract-treated cancer cells .
Results: The IC50 of B. javanica extract on ORL-48 and KB cells were determined at 6.67 ± 1.15 and 24.37 ± 1.75 µg/ml, respectively. Green fluorescent spots were captured in all images of KB and ORL-48 extract-treated cells. Following treatment with the extract, the harvested DNA of both KB and ORL-48 cells produced ladders of fragments. Whereby fragment correspond to a band in the ladder. Both characteristics suggested the apoptotic activity of B. javanica extract on both cancer cells.
Conclusions:
B. javanica extract exhibited anti-proliferative activity on both ORL-48 and KB cells and apoptosis was suggested as the mode of action of this inhibitory activity. Comparative to KB, B. javanica showed stronger inhibitory activity of ORL-48 cells.