• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.22-27
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• 1998

This study was carried out to develop antitumor agents based on effects of the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the methanolic extract of Lonicerae flos on human oral epitheloid carcinoma cells. Human oral epitheloid carcinoma cells were cultured in RPMI-1640 media containing 10% fetal bovine serum, antibiotic, and fungizone. After incubation for 24 hrs, the cells were treated with A, B, C, D, and E fractions for 48hrs under the same condition. MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazoliumbromide), NR (Neutral red) and SRB (Sulforhodamine B protein) assay were performed. The light microscopic findings were observed by inverted microscope. In MTT assay, fraction B was shown significant antitumor activity (P<0.001), fraction E was shown significant antitumor activities (P<0.05), but the other fractions were not shown. In NR assay, fraction B was shown significant antitumor activity (P<0.001). In SRB assay, fractions B was shown significant antitumor activities (P<0.01). fractions A and D were shown significant antitumor activities (P<0.05). but the other fractions were not shown. In light microscopy. the fraction B of the ethyl acetate soluble fraction of the methanolic extract of Lonicerae flos showed the highest antitumor activity. These finding suggested that fraction B possessed the most antitumorous agent.