Cytotoxic agent against human gastric carcinoma cells from a kind of Danaidae and its host plant

Abstract

Cytotoxic activity of chloroform-methanol extracts from 92 kinds of butterflies was tested in vitro against human gastric carcinoma TMK-1 cells. Among the species tested, cytotoxicity was found only in a kind of Danaidae, Ideopsis similis, with an IC₅₀ value at the 5×1/10⁶ dilution. The other butterflies showed no activity, even at a dilution of 1/10². Cytotoxic activity was also detected in chloroform-methanol extract from leaves of Tylophora tanakae, a food source for caterpillars of I. similis. The active principles in I. similis were thus suggested to be derived from compounds present in the leaves of T. tanakae.