Dendrophthoe falcata Etting. leaves were investigated for in vitro anticancer activity using brine shrimp bioassay model in which Artemia salina strain of shrimp was used according to Mayer et al. Further the study was extended for determining total phenolic content and phytochemical analysis. Total phenolic content was found in high concentration (20.07%w/w gallic acid equivalence) in total methanol extract. Petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate and methanol extracts were obtained from coarse powder of dried leaves by soxhlet extraction successively with their increasing polarity. Percent survivals of the shrimps were noted in the solutions containing different extract concentration. Ethyl acetate and methanol extract showed 87.13 µg/ml and 126.44 µg/ml LC50 respectively. These extracts showed very less LC50 possesses in vitro anticancer activity. The flavonoids wese detected in ethyl acetate extract whereas methanol extract showed presence of flavonoids and tannins in high concentration by preliminary phytochemical study. Ethyl acetate and methanol extract showed presence of Quercetines and Gallic acid as major constituents. Lead potential of anticancer activity may be due to flavonoids and tannins present in D. falcata leaves. This lead potential of the plant need further investigation.
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