1. Presentation 4
Effect Of Active Ingredients Of
Solanum torvum (Devil’s Fig) For
The Treatment Of Malignant
Melanoma Cells
By: John Muñoz

2. What is Solanum torvum?
• A plant with a height of two to three meters
with a base of five centimeters.
• A shrub usually found in the tropics. Highly
toxic and destructive weed when mature.
On the other hand, the immature fruit is
used for consumption in different
countries.
• Other uses of the plant are for treatment of
diabetes and diverse skin diseases.

3. What is epithelial cancer?
• Epithelial cancer is a dangerous disease if
not detected in time, and treated, could
possibly lead to death. There are three types
of skin cancers:
– Basal carcinoma cancer: which starts in the base
cells of the epidermis and moves down.
– Squamous cell carcinoma: affecting the
squamous cells (top cells of the epidermis).
– Malignant melanoma: is the third type of epithelial
cancer and the most dangerous since it can
spread through the body of the individual, usually
taking root in overgrown moles.

4. Problem
• Is there an Active ingredient in the extract
of Solanum torvum for the treatment of
Malignant melanoma cancer cells?

5. Hypothesis
• The diverse active ingredients in the plant
extract of the Solanum torvum, lead for the
future treatment of Malignant melanoma
without exposing the patient to severe side
effects.

6. Methodology
• The chemical base of the Solanum torvum will be revised for
the possible active ingredients of the plant.
• The extract will be made of all components of the specimen:
leaves, roots, and fruit (immature and ripe).
• Using the extracts I will observe quantitatively, in vitro, the
effect of them in the cancer cells’ growth. Using the method of
Mosaic Blue Assay.
• My control group will be a group of Malignant melanoma cells
growing without the addition of the extracts.
• The experimental group will be Malignant melanoma cells
growing in the Mosaic Blue Assay treated with the extracts of
each extract.
• Analyze the results in the growth of the cells

7. Analyze the results
• I will be checking the growth of the cells with
a florescent plate reader that activates with
the dye used in the Mosaic Blue Array.
• Then I will compare the different components
of the plant. Which extract worked best and
why and the active ingredient of the extract.

8. Picture from: http://www.mosaiclabs.com/test_invitro

9. Reference
Mosaic Laboratories [internet]. [2010] Lake Forest (CA):
Mosaic Laboratories; [cited 2012 July 5] Available in:
http://www.mosaiclabs.com/pics/tests/blue-array.jpg
Philippines medicinal plants [internet]. [2012]
Philippines medicinal plants; [cited 2012 July 5] Available in:
http://www.stuartxchange.com/TandangAso.html
American Cancer Society [internet]. [2012]
American Cancer Society [cited 2012 July 6] Available in:
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/SunandUVExposure/skin-cancer-facts
MedicineNet.com [internet]. [N/A]
MedicineNet.com [cited 2012 July 6] Available in:
http://www.medicinenet.com/melanoma/article.htm
United States Department of Agriculture [internet]. [N/A]
United Stated Department of Agriculture [cited 2012 July 7] Available in:
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SOTO4

10. QUESTIONS?