Table I.

Half maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC₅₀) of the extract, fractions and essential oil of Cyperus longus in the MCF7 and PC3 cell lines following 24, 48 and 72 h of exposure.

	IC50 in MCF7 cells			IC50 in PC3 cells
Treatment agent	24 h	48 h	72 h	24 h	48 h	72 h
Aqueous fraction	>100	>100	>100	>100	>100	>100
Methanolic extract	>100	64.64±1.64	93.47±5.11	>100	70.33±2.36	95.82±1.96
CH2Cl2 fraction	22.17±2.33a	25.34±2.01b	43.15±3.02a	58.01±6.39	37.97±3.87	72.39±6.84
Ethyl acetate fraction	42.38±2.54b	35.2±2.69a	55.38±4.25a	72.37±3.69	51.57±3.89	73.22±3.64
Essential oil	21.17±2.01b	12.55±3.65c,d	31.35±3.69	43.65±4.12	22.25±4.25e	39.91±3.21
Paclitaxel (positive control)	6.34±0.81a	3.45±0.39a	6.75±0.57a	0.10±0.02	0.09±0.03	0.08±0.03

The IC₅₀ values were quantified by MTT assay. The data are presented as the means ± standard deviation (n=5). Letters (d-f) are an indicator of statistical differences obtained separately between essential oil and palitaxel (

^dP<0.05 and

^eP<0.001) after 48 h of exposure (most effective time point) and letters (a-c) are an indicator of statistical differences obtained separately for the MCF7 cell line compared to the PC3 cell line at each time point (

^cP<0.05,

^bP<0.01 and

^aP<0.001). CH₂Cl₂, dichloromethane.