Comparative evaluation of the cytotoxic and apoptotic potential of Poecilocerus pictus and Calotropis gigantea.

Calotropis gigantea, the giant milkweed, is traditionally used for the treatment of cancer and in Ayurvedic medicine as an anti-helminthic, anti-pyretic, and anti-malarial agent. Poecilocerus pictus, an orthopteran insect, feeds on C. gigantea and both are known to possess cardiac glycosides.

Development and characterization of new cell line BPH22 from midgut epithelial cells of Poekilocerus pictus (Fabricius, 1775).

Poekilocerus pictus is a painted grasshopper, which feeds on Calotropis sp. containing the cardiac glycosides. A new cell line BPH22 is developed from midgut of P.