MICROWAVE – ASSISTED EXTRACTION OF FLAVONOIDS AND PROFILING FLAVONOID CYTOTOXICITY AGAINST Hep-G2 HUMAN CANCER CELL LINE

Hepatic cancer is one of the most causes for cancer death in the world. The aim of this work was to compare and survey the cytotoxic activity of a group of differently classed flavonoids and three plant extracts known for their high antioxidant activities against Hep-G2 human cancer cell line. Also to isolate some flavonoids from the plant extracts using easier, modified methods of higher yield and lower time of extraction than conventional ones. Different flavonoidal classes were tested against Hep-G2 human cancer cell line using SBR assay. Doxorubicin was used as a positive control. Dihydroquercetin was found to be more potent even than Doxorubicin. It showed the higher activity with IC₅₀ = 4.43±0.08 μg/ ml followed by quercetin and rutin with IC₅₀ = 7.88±0.89 and 11.2 ±0.97μg/ ml respectively. Among the tested extracts, rosemary alcoholic extract was the potent followed by green tea alcoholic extract and orange peel alcoholic extract was the less potent. Their IC₅₀ values ranged from 11.5±1.02μg/ml to 48.2 ±1.8μg/ ml. Diosmin and catechins showed no activity against Hep-G2 human cancer cell line. IC₅₀ of Doxorubicin was calculated as 5.14 ±0.09 μg/ml. All the tested plant extracts showed cytotoxicity especially rosemary extract which was highly potent with IC₅₀ = 11.2±0.97μg/ ml.