Abstract

• Stephania venosa (Blume) Spreng. (Taung-kya) belongs to the family Menispermaceae and is a rich source of alkaloids. The research focused on the screening of the cytotoxicity, anti inflammatory, antiproliferative, and antiarthritic activities of the tuber of S. venosa. The cytotoxicity activity of the watery and ethanol extracts determined by a brine shrimp lethality bioassay showed LD50 values > 1000 µg/mL, a non-toxic effect. The anti-inflammatory activity of the methanol and watery extracts of S. venosa was determined by inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production against LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. The IC50 value of nitric oxide inhibition was found to be less than the IC50 value of cell viability. The watery extract showed mild antiproliferative activity against the A549 cell line with an IC50 value of 144.86 µg/mL. The watery extract was found to possess significant antiproliferative activity against the HeLa (Cervix cancer) cell line, with the IC50 value less than 20 µg/mL. Additionally, the methanol extract had significant antiproliferative activity against the A549 (Lung cancer) cell line, with an IC50 value of less than 20 µg/mL. But the methanol extract possessed weaker antiproliferative activity for HeLa (Cervix cancer) cell line, with IC50 values >200 µg/mL than the standard 5 FU (IC50 =19.06 µg/mL against Lung cancer cell line and IC50 =15.84 µg/mL Cervix cancer cell line). The antiarthritic activity of ethanol and watery extracts was determined by using fresh hen’s egg albumin denaturation method in different concentrations ranging from 50 to 1600 μg/mL. According to the results, the IC50 values of ethanol and watery extracts were found to be 743 μg/mL and > 1600 μg/mL, respectively. Therefore, the two extracts showed lower antiarthritic activity than the standard drug diclofenac sodium (IC50 = 266 μg/mL).