ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: Eucalyptus camaldulensis Dehnh. (Myrtaceae) is a tall evergreen tree found commonly in Bangladesh. Its use in traditional folk medicine for the treatment of various health complications are well known. OBJECTIVE: To explore the in vivo antitumor effect of Eucalyptus camaldulensis stem bark methanol extract (ME) against Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antitumor activity of ME was studied by determining viable tumor cell count, recording tumor weight and survival time, observing morphological changes and nuclear damage of EAC cells, and estimating hematological as well as biochemical parameters of experimental mice (25, 50 and 100 mg/kg/day for 5 d, i.p.). RESULTS: ME showed 96% (p < 0.001) cell growth inhibition and reduced tumor burden significantly (81.4%; p < 0.01) when compared with control mice. It also increased the lifespan of EAC-bearing mice significantly (71.36%; p < 0.01). It also restored the altered hematological and biochemical parameters towards normal level. The high LD50 value (1120 mg/kg) of ME indicated its low host toxic effects. ME-treated EAC cells showed membrane blebbing, chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation (apoptotic features) in Hoechst 33342 staining under fluorescence microscope. The DNA profile in agarose gel (1.5%) electrophoresis also confirmed that ME caused EAC cell death by apoptosis. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Results showed that ME exhibits strong anticancer activity through apoptosis and stimulation of host immunity. Thus, E. camaldulensis may be considered as a promising resource in cancer chemotherapy.
Subject(s)
Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/pharmacology , Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor/drug therapy , Eucalyptus/chemistry , Plant Extracts/pharmacology , Animals , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/administration & dosage , Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic/isolation & purification , Apoptosis/drug effects , Bangladesh , Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor/pathology , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Injections, Intraperitoneal , Lethal Dose 50 , Male , Medicine, Traditional , Mice , Plant Bark , Plant Extracts/administration & dosage , Plant Extracts/toxicity , Plant Stems , Survival RateABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To determine the hepatoprotective effect of acetone semicarbazone (ASC) in vivo in normal and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) bearing male Swiss albino mice. METHODS: 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. RESULTS: 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. CONCLUSIONS: ASC can, therefore, be considered safe in formulating novel anticancer drug, as it exhibits strong protective effect against EAC cell bearing mice.
