Antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities of endophytic fungus isolated from erycibe elliptilimba.

Background: Erycibe elliptilimba Merr.&Chun. is a Thai herb in the family Convolvulaceae that has long been used in traditional medicine to treat various diseases including infections and malignancies. Its methanolic extract has antiproliferative activities against various human cancer cell lines with potential ED50 values. Objective: The antiproliferative activities exhibited from this plant should be investigated to ensure that the effects were from the plant itself. Therefore, the endophytic fungus from this special plant was isolated and evaluated for their antiproliferative and antimicrobial activities. Methods: The isolation of fungal endophytes from the stems of Erycibe elliptilimba Merr.&Chun. was identified by macroscopic and microscopic morphology. Fungal extraction was demonstrated using thin layer chromatography of the crude broth extract. Four human breast cancer cell lines, two human lung cancer cell lines, and one human colon cancer cell line were used to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of the crude broth extract on the cell growth and determine of antibacterial activities. Results: The results revealed that only one species, Trichoderma ovalisporum, was isolated and its cultured broth extract did not provide an antiproliferative effect against any human cancer cell line nor antimicrobial activities. Conclusion: Based on this study, the antiproliferative activities against several human cancer cell lines of Erycibe elliptilimba, Merr&Chun extract, in recent reports may depend upon the active compounds in the plant itself.

Antiproliferative effect of cucurbitacin B extracted from trichosanthes cucumerina L. on human cancer cell lines.

Objective: To determine the antiproliferative effect of cucurbitacin B extracted from Trichosanthes cucumerina L. on human cancer cell lines. Methods: Two human lung non-small cell (adenocarcinoma) cancer cell lines i.e., LK87, and QG95, two human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines i.e., HCT15, and HT29, including one renal cancer cell line, A498, and one pancreatic cancer cell line, NOR-P, were used in this study. The viability of cells was assessed by using WST-8 which is based on detection of LDH released from damaged cells and reacts with WST-8 to form a yellow color. Cells were treated with the compound at various concentration from 1 through 100 µg/ml. Results: The ED50 values (effective doses that are required for 50% inhibition growth of tumor cells) of the compound on human cancer cell lines ranged from approximately 69 µg/ml in HCT15 cells up to 231 µg/ml in QG95 cells. The inhibition of proliferation of this compound on these human cancer cell lines was observed to be in a dose dependent manner. Conclusion: It could be concluded from this observation that this compound has a modest direct toxic effect to these cell lines with the highest toxic effect on human colon cancer cells.

Antibacterial activities of four Thai medicinal plants.

Medicinal plants have long been used and prescribed in Thailand for centuries. Some of them have been used for treating various diseases including infectious diseases. Pouzolzia pentandra Benn., Gelonium multiflorum A. Juss., Erycibe elliptilimba Merr. and Chun., Balanophora abbreviate Bl. are Thai medicinal plants from the Thai pharmacopoeia that have been prescribed for treating unknown fevers including some specific infectious diseases. This investigation demonstrated the effects of these Thai medicinal plants for their antibacterial activities by using the macrodilution assay. Based on the present study, the water methanol fraction (fraction 2) of Balanophora abbreviate Bl. showed the antibacterial activity at the MIC level of 250 microg/ml but the activity was bacteriostatic in its effects. Therefore, the use of these medicinal plants in controlling fever and infectious diseases appears to be justified and further investigations may be required to obtain more information.

Antiprolifrative activities of three Thai medicinal plants on human cancer cells.

In Thailand, the stems and leaves of Pouzolzia pentandra Benn., stems of Erycibe elliptilimba Merr.& Chun., and Gelonium multiflorum A. Juss. have long been used as traditional medicines for cancer therapy. The ethanol, water, methanol:water and ethyl acetate extracts of these three plants were tested in vitro against four different human breast cancer cell lines and two human lung cancer cell lines using MTT screening method. The methanol extract of Erycibe elliptilimba Merr. & Chun. showed the most potent antiproliferative activities against these specific human cancer cells. The results, therefore, suggested to some extent the benefit of the traditional use of Erycibe elliptilimba Merr.& Chun. in the treatment of malignancies.