In-vitro Cytoprotection Activity of Foeniculum vulgare and Helicteres isora in Cultured Human Blood Lymphocytes and Antitumour Activity against B16F10 Melanoma Cell Line

This study was designed to examine in-vitro cytoprotection activity of methanolic extract of Foeniculum vulgare and Helicteres isora against normal human blood lymphocytes by micronucleus assay and antitumor activity against B16F10 melanoma cell line by Trypan blue exclusion assay for cell viability. Lymphocyte culture treated with 70% methanolic extract of Foeniculum vulgare and 50% methanolic extract of Helicteres isora showed very less percentage of micronucleus i.e. 0.006% and 0.007% respectively as compared to standard drug doxorubicin which showed 0.018% micronucleus. On the other hand 70% methanolic extract of Foeniculum vulgare good antitumor activity at the concentration of 200μg/ml and 50% methanolic extract of Helicteres isora dislayed good antitumor activity at the concentration of 300 μg/ml. The results strengthen that the Foeniculum vulgare and Helicteres isora could be considered as a natural resource of antitumor agents as well as cytoprotective to normal cells.