1Department
of Pharmacognosy, Oriental College of Pharmacy, Bhopal (M.P.)-462021,
2Shri Shankaracharya Institute of
Pharmaceutical Science, Junwani, P.O. Nehru Nagar,
Bhilai, (C.G.)-490020, 3Department of
Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Banasthali University, P.O.
Banasthali Vidyapith (Rajasthan)-304022, India
For correspondence:
E-mail: chatterjee_dp@yahoo.com
Tel: +91-9893093497
Received: 10 October 2010
Revised
accepted: 22 May 2011
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the antitumor
effect of the chloroform and ethanol extract of the
whole plant of Cuscuta reflexa Roxb. (Cuscutaceae)
in Swiss albino mice against Ehrlich Ascites
Carcinoma (EAC) cell line.
Methods:
The antitumor activity of the chloroform and ethanol
extracts of Cuscuta reflexa was evaluated against
Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) tumor in mice at doses
of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight orally, respectively,
while acute oral toxicity studies were performed to
determine the safety of the extracts. Briefly, the EAC
cells were injected (i.p.) into ninty six mice (divided
into 6 numerically equal groups), and after a one-day
incubation period, the extracts were administered to the
mice daily for 16 days. On day 21, six animals in each
group were sacrificed for observation of antitumor
activity and the remaining animals were observed to
determine host the life span. Antitumor effect was
determined by evaluating tumor volume, viable and
nonviable tumor cell count and hematological parameters
of the host. The standard antitumor used was
5-fluorouracil.
Results:
Administration of the extracts resulted in a significant
(p < 0.05) decrease in tumor volume and viable cell
count, but increased non-viable cell count and mean
survival time, thereby increasing the life span of the
tumor-bearing mice. Restoration of hematological
parameters - red blood cells (RBC), hemoglobin, white
blood cells (WBC) and lymphocyte count - to normal
levels in extract-treated mice was also observed.
Conclusion:
The results suggest that the chloroform and ethanol
extracts of C. reflexa exhibit significant antitumor
activity in EAC-bearing mice that is comparable to that
of the reference standard, 5-fluorouracil.
Keywords:
Cuscuta reflexa,
Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, 5-Fluorouracil, Tumor volume,
Viable cell count.
