Apoptotic and antioxidant activities of methanol extract of Mussaenda roxburghii leaves

Present research work was designed to study the anticancer and antioxidant activities of methanol extract of Mussaenda roxburghii. Anticancer activity of MMR has been carried out on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma [EAC] cells with three different doses [20, 40 and 60 mg/kg/day] by observing different parameters such as tumor weight, survival time of EAC-bearing mice, growth inhibition of EAC cells, morphological changes and nuclear damage of EAC cells etc. whereas antioxidant activity was determined by measuring total antioxidant, DPPH free radical scavenging, ferrous reducing capacity assay. The extract showed highest anticancer activity at 60 mg/kg day[-1][i.p.]. It caused 81.4% [P<0.01] cells growth inhibition and reduced tumor burden significantly [78.5%; P<0.001] in comparison to control. It also increased life span of EAC-bearing mice significantly [73.5%; P<0.01]. MMR treated EAC cells showed membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation [apoptotic feature] in Hoechst 33342 staining under fluorescence microscope. DNA fragmentation assay in agarose gel [1.5%] electrophoresis also rectified that it causes EAC cells death by apoptosis. MMR also exhibited moderate antioxidant properties in dose dependent manner. Thus, this plant can therefore be considering a resource for natural chemo-preventive drugs as well as a possible pharmaceutical supplement

Antiproliferative and hepatoprotective activity of metabolites from Corynebacterium xerosis against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma cells

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To find out the effective anticancer drugs from bacterial products, petroleum ether extract of Corynebacterium xerosis.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Antiproliferative activity of the metabolite has been measured by monitoring the parameters like tumor weight measurement, tumor cell growth inhibition in mice and survival time of tumor bearing mice, etc. Hepatoprotective effect of the metabolites was determined by observing biochemical, hematological parameters.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>It has been found that the petroleum ether extract bacterial metabolite significantly decrease cell growth (78.58%; P<0.01), tumor weight (36.04 %; P<0.01) and increase the life span of tumor bearing mice (69.23%; P<0.01) at dose 100 mg/kg (i.p.) in comparison to those of untreated Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice. The metabolite also alters the depleted hematological parameters like red blood cell, white blood cell, hemoglobin (Hb%), etc. towards normal in tumor bearing mice. Metabolite show no adverse effect on liver functions regarding blood glucose, serum alkaline phosphatases, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activity and serum billirubin, etc. in normal mice. Histopathological observation of these mice organ does not show any toxic effect on cellular structure. But in the case of EAC bearing untreated mice these hematological and biochemical parameters deteriorate extremely with time whereas petroleum ether extract bacterial metabolite receiving EAC bearing mice nullified the toxicity induced by EAC cells.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Study results reveal that metabolite possesses significant antiproliferative and hepatoprotective effect against EAC cells.</p>

Hepatoprotective effect of acetone semicarbazone on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma induced carcinogenesis in experimental mice

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To determine the hepatoprotective effect of acetone semicarbazone (ASC) in vivo in normal and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) bearing male Swiss albino mice.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Drug-induced changes in biochemical and behavioral parameters at dose of 2.0 mg/kg body weight for 14 d and nullifying the toxicity induced by EAC cells were studied. The histopathology studies of the protective effects of ASC on vital organs were also assessed.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The administration of ASC made insignificant changes in body weight and behavioral (salivation, diarrhea, muscular numbness) changes during treatment period due to minor toxicity were minimized after the treatment in normal mice. The biochemical parameters, including serum glutamate pyruvate transaminase, glutamate oxaloactate transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, serum glucose, cholesterol, urea, triglyceride and billirubin changed modestly in normal mice receiving ASC. Though the treatment continued, these values gradually decreased to normal level after the treatment. In EAC bearing mice, the toxic effects due to EAC cells in all cases were nullified by treatment with the ASC. Significant abnormalities were not detected in histology of the various organs of the normal mice treated with ASC.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>ASC can, therefore, be considered safe in formulating novel anticancer drug, as it exhibits strong protective effect against EAC cell bearing mice.</p>

Bioassay of Eucalyptus extracts for anticancer activity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (eac) cells in Swiss albino mice

Objective: To evaluate the antineoplastic activity of Eucalyptus extract (EuE) against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. Methods: Preliminary examination of four plant extracts (namely Eucalyptus, Costus, Azadirachta, Feronia) has been done by observing the reduction ability of number of EAC cells in previously inoculated Swiss albino mice. Among them as EuE showed maximum capability, the whole study has been conducted with EuE only. Important parameters viz. enhancement of life span, reduction of average tumor weight etc. have been studied. In addition the effects of EuE on hematological parameters in both normal and EAC inoculated mice have been measured. Effect of EuE on normal peritoneal cells has also been studied. Results: EuE reduced tumor burden remarkably. It reduced the tumor growth rate and enhanced the life span of EAC bearing mice noticeably. It reversed back the hematological parameters towards normal, reduced the trasplantability of EAC cells and enhanced the immunomodulatory effects in mice. The host toxic effect of EuE in mice is minimum and mostly reversible with time. All such data have been compared with those obtained by running parallel experiments with bleomycin at dose 0.3 mg/kg (i.p.). Conclusions: The Eucalyptus extract may be considered as a potent anticancer agent for advanced researches.

Preventive effect of ethanol extract of Alpinia calcarata Rosc on Ehrlich's ascitic carcinoma cell induced malignant ascites in mice

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.