The cytotoxic activity of lanosterol isolated from sea cucumber Holothuria leucospilota from Hengam island, Persian Gulf

Due to the abundance of Holothurialeucospilota in the Persian Gulf and cytotoxic properties of their synthesized terpenoid compounds, in this study, we examined the cytotoxic effect of lanosterol from triterpenoids. The sea cucumber muscle samples were dried and extracted with acetone. The extract was semi purified by silica gel column chromatography using n-hexane and ethyl acetate to get lanosterol. The cytotoxic effect of lanosterol checked by using XTT assay on oral epithelial cancer cell (KB/C152) and human embryonic kidney cells (Hek293) cell lines. The IC50 value of lanosterol extracted from sea cucumber muscle in KB/C152 cell line was 6.36µg/mL but it was not toxic to Hek293 cell lines. The study demonstrated that extracted lanosterol from H.leucospilota muscle had strong cytotoxic effects that can be used as an anticancer drug.