The sulphorhodamine (SRB) assay and other approaches to testing plant extracts and derived compounds for activities related to reputed anticancer activity

In addition bioassays based on mammalian cells involving antioxidant and upregulation of some cellular self-defence mechanisms are discussed which are related to prevention as well as treatment of cancer. Extracts of Alpinia officinarum induced glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity in cultured hepatocytes and this was traced to the phenylpropanoids present, especially 1′-acetoxychavicol acetate.