Tumbuhan obat Indonesia, sarang semut (Myrmecodia pendens) telah terbukti secara empiris mampu menyembuhkan berbagai macam penyakit termasuk kanker. Pada penelitian ini, dilakukan isolasi senyawa antikanker dari hipokotil tumbuhan sarang semut menggunakan beberapa jenis pelarut dan menentukan struktur molekul senyawa aktif. Uji toksisitas dilakukan dengan metode brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT) dan uji in vitro antikanker dengan metode microscopic counting menggunakan sel HeLa (sel kanker leher rahim), sel MCM-B2 (sel kanker payudara), dan sel Leukemia L1210. Elusidasi struktur kimia dilakukan dengan metode spektroskopi (UV-VIS, FT-IR, dan RMI).Berdasarkan uji toksisitas dan uji in vitro terhadap sel HeLa, MCM-B2, dan Leukemia L1210 maka ekstrak yang paling aktif adalah ekstrak air (A). Pemisahan dan pemurnian ekstrak air (A) dengan kromatografi kolom dan kromatografi cair kinerja tinggi preparatif menghasilkan tiga isolat relatif murni masing-masing IA2, IA4, dan IA6. Hasil uji tiga isolat terhadap sel Leukemia L1210 menghasilkan IC50 IA2 = 1,88 μg/ml, IC50 IA4 = 1,45 μg/ml, dan IC50 IA6 = 2,04 μg/ml. Ketiga isolat mempunyai efek sitotoksik kuat. Berdasarkan data spektroskopi, isolat IA6 diduga senyawa turunan karbohidrat.

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The Indonesian medicinal plant, sarang semut (Myrmecodia pendens), has proved empirically capable to healing various diseases, including cancer. In this research, compound isolation of anticancer agent was carried out from sarang semut plant hypocotyls by some type of solvent and to determine active compound molecule structure. Toxicity test was conducted using brine shrimp lethality test (BSLT) and in vitro test using microscopic counting method by means HeLa cells (cervix cancer cell), MCM-B2 cell (breast cancer cell), and Leukemia cell L1210. Elucidation of chemical structure conducted by spectroscopy methods (UV-VIS, FT- IR, and NMR).

According to toxicity and in vitro test on cells of HeLa, MCM-B2, dan Leukemia L1210, the most active extract is water extract (A). Separation and purification of water extract (A) by coloum chromatography and preparative high performance liquid chromatography has produce three relative pure isolates namely IA2, IA4, and IA6. The test result on the three isolates on Leukemia L1210 cell produce IC50 IA2 = 1,88 μg/ml, IC50 IA4 = 1,45 μg/ml, and IC50 IA6 = 2,04 μg/ml. The three isolates has strong cytotoxic effect. According to spectroscopy data, isolate IA6 indicate carbohydrate derivate compound.