International Journal of Science, Engineering and TechnologyAuthors: Assistant Professor Suhel Mulla, Vaishnavi Ghatule, Vishvakalyani Kavade, Anjali Kokare, Ananti Sawant, Rushikesh Kore
Abstract: Medicinal plants have long been valued for their therapeutic and pharmacological properties, offering a safer alternative to conventional synthetic drugs, particularly in reducing the toxicity and resistance associated with chemotherapy. The present study was therefore aimed at evaluating the individual and synergistic anticancer and antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extracts of Withania somnifera, Curcuma longa, and Moringa oleifera. The extracts were prepared by the Soxhlet extraction technique using ethanol as solvent, following collection, shade-drying, and botanical authentication of the plant material. Phytochemical screening, in-vitro anticancer evaluation by MTT assay against the HCT116 human colon cancer cell line, and in-vitro antimicrobial evaluation by agar well-diffusion against Lactobacillus bulgaricus were carried out on the individual extracts as well as their combination. Analysis showed that all three extracts possessed good phytoconstituent content and dose-dependent anticancer activity, with turmeric showing the strongest individual effect, and the combined extract producing the lowest IC₅₀ value, indicating enhanced, synergistic anticancer and antimicrobial action compared to the individual extracts.
