Abstract

30 crude extracts were prepared from 19 Vietnamese medicinal plants and evaluated for their antiproliferative activities against Hela human cervix cancer cells by 3 (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Among them, seven crude extracts from Calophyllum dongnaiense, Catharanthus roseus, Garcinia ferrea, Garcinia merguensis Wight, Mammea siamensis (Miq.) T. Anderson showed percentages of cell growth inhibition more than 50% at 100 ug/ml and only Petroleum ether extract (PEE) from Mammea siamensis (Miq.) T. Anderson revealed a powerful effect with 93% of cell growth inhibition at 20 ug/ml. Analyses of apoptosis-characterized morphological changes and genomic DNA fragmentation precisely indicated that antiproliferation by PEE is due to induced apoptosis. This investigation suggested that Mammea siamensis (Miq.) T. Anderson may be a potential agent for cancer chemoprevention.