In vitro comparative cytotoxic effect of Nimbolide: A limonoid from Azadirachta indica (Neem tree) on cancer cell lines and normal cell lines through MTT assay.

The present study was conducted to find the cytotoxicity in vitro of nimbolide, limonoids derivative of flowers and leaves from Azadirachta indica (neem tree) on the selected cell lines of cancer (Du-145, PC-3, A-549) and normal fibroblast cell lines (NIH3T3, CCD-18Co) using MTT assay. The cells were seeded in 96 multi-well tissue plate using different concentrations of nimbolide for 24hrs and 48hrs. The percentage of viability of cell lines was calculated by optical density obtained by micro plate reader and cytotoxic effect in term of IC value was determined by using linear regression analysis. The percentages of viability of cells treated with different concentrations of nimbolide were significantly lower (P<0.05) than the untreated cancer cell lines while in normal cell lines no significant difference (P>0.05) between treated and the non-treated cells was observed. Nimbolide exerted time and dose dependent cytotoxic effect on the cancer lines and mild effect on the normal cell lines. It was further confirmed through PKH 26. Results of the present study suggested nimbolide as a potent chemotherapeutic and chemopreventive agent as it exerted a more cytotoxic effect on cancer cell lines as compared with the normal cell lines. Nimbolide may be a new hope as an anticancer drug in future.