Objective: To screen the antitumor extract from Stellera chamaejasmel L..
Methods: The means of systematic solvent extraction was used to separate the 95% ethanol extract. The antitumor activities of the different extracts in vitro were analyzed with MTT assay.
Results: The petroleum ether extract and the chloroform extract strongly inhibited cell proliferation of human cancer cell lines such as leukemia HL-60, stomach cancer SGC-7901 and hepatocarcinoma BEL-7402, and showed significant dose-dependent response while the n-butanol extract and the methanol extract exhibited low antitumor activities in vitro. The petroleum ether extract was most active.
Conclusion: The petroleum ether extract is the principal antitumor extract from Stellera chamaejasmel L..