No abstract

The cytotoxic potential of ethanol extracts from Peperomia elongata H. B. & K. (Piperaceae) were evaluated against human cancer cell lines by the MTT method. The samples considered cytotoxic were tested for antimitotic activity with the sea urchin egg development test and for hemolytic activity using mice erythrocytes. The extracts from leaves (hexane), stems (ethanol, hexane, hexane:AcOEt, AcOEt, and MeOH:H 2 O insoluble), and roots (R4) presented potential cytotoxic action. The stems extracts showed the highest toxicity in all tumor cell lines tested, with an IC 50 9.0 mg=mL for ethanol extract, IC 50 11.6 mg=mL for MeOH:H 2 O insoluble, IC 50 7.3 mg=mL for hexane extract, IC 50 11.4 mg=mL for hexane: AcOEt, and IC 50 16.2 mg=mL for AcOEt extract. All extracts considered cytotoxic for tumoral cell lines presented antimitotic activity. The samples from roots (R4) and stems (ethanol, MeOH:H 2 O insoluble, and hexane extract from leaves) were found to possess lytic activity in mice erythrocytes but in higher doses (>125 mg=mL). Further studies for the isolation and identification of the active principles of these extracts should be undertaken.