ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the cytotoxicity of the crude ethanol extract of the rhizome of Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (L) Smith. and Curcuma zedoaria (C. zedoaria) Rosc. against Artemia salina Leach.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Fresh rhizomes of Z. zerumbet (L) Smith. and C. zedoaria Rosc. were extracted separately in cold with ethanol (2.5 L) and after concentration a brownish syrupy suspension of ethanol extracts of Z. zerumbet (L) Smith. and C. zedoaria Rosc. was obtained. The cytotoxic effect of the crude ethanol extracts of both plants was determined by brine shrimp lethality bioassay.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Crude ethanol extracts of the rhizome of Z. zerumbet (L) Smith. showed the highest cytotoxicity (LC50 was 1.24 µg/mL) against brine shrimp nauplii as compared with C. zedoaria Rosc. (LC50 was 33.593 µg/mL) after 24 h of exposure.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It can be concluded that the rhizome of Z. zerumbet (L) Smith. and C. zedoaria Rosc. can be used as a source of cytotoxic agent.</p>
Subject(s)
Animals , Artemia , Curcuma , Metabolism , Toxicity , Phytotherapy , Plant Extracts , Pharmacology , Toxicity , Plants, Medicinal , Toxicity , Rhizome , Toxicity , Zingiberaceae , Metabolism , ToxicityABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE@#To explore cytotoxic activity of ethanol extract of Alpinia calcarata Rosc (EEAC) rhizome against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) tumor bearing Swiss Albino mice.@*METHODS@#In the present study, its anti-neoplastic activity has been studied by monitoring parameters like tumor weight measurement, survival time, tumor cell growth inhibition, haematological characteristics etc.@*RESULTS@#It was found that EEAC at dose 8 mg/kg/day (i.p.) significantly decreased tumor weight (62.0%; P <0.01), increased life span (70.25%; P <0.01) and reduced tumor cell growth rate (85.7%; P <0.01) in comparison to those of EAC bearing mice. The plant extract also improved the depleted haematological parameters like RBC, WBC, Hb%, differential counts (e.g. lymphocytes, neutrophils, monocytes etc) of EAC bearing mice towards normal. The host toxic effects were not very high and recovered gradually towards normal within a few days after treatment.@*CONCLUSIONS@#EEAC exhibits potent in vivo cytotoxic activity against EAC tumor bearing Swiss Albino mice. So, the plant can be considered as a probable new source of antitumor agents.
Subject(s)
Animals , Male , Mice , Alpinia , Chemistry , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic , Pharmacology , Ascites , Drug Therapy , Pathology , Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor , Drug Therapy , Pathology , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation , Ethanol , Chemistry , Plant Extracts , Pharmacology , Solvents , Tumor BurdenABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the cytotoxicity of the crude ethanol extract of the rhizome of Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (L) Smith. and Curcuma zedoaria (C. zedoaria) Rosc. against Artemia salina Leach. Methods:Fresh rhizomes of Z. zerumbet (L) Smith. and C. zedoaria Rosc. were extracted separately in cold with ethanol (2.5 L) and after concentration a brownish syrupy suspension of ethanol extracts of Z. zerumbet (L) Smith. and C. zedoaria Rosc. was obtained. The cytotoxic effect of the crude ethanol extracts of both plants was determined by brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Results: Crude ethanol extracts of the rhizome of Z. zerumbet (L) Smith. showed the highest cytotoxicity (LC50 was 1.24μg/mL) against brine shrimp nauplii as compared with C. zedoaria Rosc. (LC50 was 33.593μg/mL) after 24 h of exposure. Conclusions:It can be concluded that the rhizome of Z. zerumbet (L) Smith. and C. zedoaria Rosc. can be used as a source of cytotoxic agent.
ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate antimicrobial effects of ethanolic extract of Zingiber zerumbet (Z. zerumbet) (L.) Smith and its chloroform and petroleum ether soluble fractions against pathogenic bacteria and fungi.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The fresh rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet were extracted in cold with ethanol (4.0 L) after concentration. The crude ethanol extract was fractionated by petroleum ether and chloroform to form a suspension of ethanol extract (15.0 g), petroleum ether fraction (6.6 g) and chloroform soluble fraction (5.0 g). The crude ethanol extract and its petroleum ether and chloroform fractions were evaluated for antibacterial and antifungal activity against thirteen pathogenic bacteria and three fungi by the disc diffusion method. Commercially available kanamycin (30 µg/disc) was used as standard disc and blank discs impregnated with the respective solvents were used as negative control.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>At a concentration of 400 µg/disc, all the samples showed mild to moderate antibacterial and antifungal activity and produced the zone of inhibition ranging from 6 mm to 10 mm. Among the tested samples, the crude ethanol extract showed the highest activity against Vibrio parahemolyticus (V. parahemolyticus). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the crude ethanol extract and its fractions were within the value of 128-256 µg/mL against two Gram positive and four Gram negative bacteria and all the samples showed the lowest MIC value against V. parahemolyticus (128 µg/mL).</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>It can be concluded that, potent antibacterial and antifungal phytochemicals are present in ethanol extract of Z. zerumbet (L).</p>