*Article* **Cytotoxic Effect In Vitro of** *Acalypha monostachya* **Extracts over Human Tumor Cell Lines**

**Gloria A. Guillén-Meléndez 1,† , Sheila A. Villa-Cedillo 1,†, Raymundo A. Pérez-Hernández <sup>2</sup> , Uziel Castillo-Velázquez <sup>3</sup> , Daniel Salas-Treviño <sup>1</sup> , Odila Saucedo-Cárdenas 1,4, Roberto Montes-de-Oca-Luna <sup>1</sup> , Christian A. Gómez-Tristán 1 , Aimé Jazmín Garza-Arredondo <sup>5</sup> , Diana Elisa Zamora-Ávila <sup>6</sup> , María de Jesús Loera-Arias 1,\* and Adolfo Soto-Domínguez 1,\***


**Abstract:** *Acalypha monostachya (A. monostachya)* is a plant that is used in traditional medicine as a cancer treatment; however, its effect has not been validated. In this study, the potential cytotoxic effects and morphological changes of *A. monostachya* were evaluated in human tumor cell lines. The aqueous (AE), methanolic (ME), and hexane (HE) extracts were obtained, and flavonoid-type phenolic compounds were detected, which indicates an antineoplastic effect. We observed a timedependent and concentration-selective toxicity in human tumor cells. Additionally, the ME and HE showed the greatest cytotoxic effect at minimum concentrations compared to the AE, which showed this effect at the highest concentrations. All extracts induced significant morphological changes in tumor cells. The HeLa (cervix carcinoma) cells were more sensitive compared to the MDA-MB-231 (triple-negative breast cancer) cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated a cytotoxic in vitro effect of *A. monostachya* extracts in tumoral human cell lines. These results show the potential antineoplastic effects of *A. monostachya* in vitro. Hereafter, our lab team will continue working to usefully isolate and obtain the specific compounds of *A. monostachya* extracts with cytotoxic effects on tumor cells to find more alternatives for cancer treatment.

**Keywords:** human tumor cell lines; cytotoxic effect; plant extracts; *Acalypha monostachya*
