RESUMO
Crude and purified extracts from M. charantia plants were tested for their anti-growth properties on a variety of biological materials. These extracts inhibited the germination of maize, cotton and broad bean seeds, as well as the formation of adventitious roots on Bryophyllum leaves. The neutralized acidic fraction also inhibited the division of sea urchin eggs and foetal development in rats, caused a slight increase of the life expectancy of mice bearing tumours of Sarcoma 180, and suppressed the growth of Her2 cells in tissue culture. Oral administration of the crude whole plant extract to a lymphatic leukaemic patient caused a marked increase in the haemoglobin content of teh blood and a noticeable decrease in the white bloob cells. When the crude extract was fractionated on resin columns and then on chromatographic paper, a yellow material was separated and analysed for its elemental constituents. Where tested, it proved to be a more potent growth inhibitor than the whole plant extract or other fractions thereof (AU)