Apoptotic and antioxidant activities of methanol extract of Mussaenda roxburghii leaves

Pak J Pharm Sci. 2015 Nov;28(6):2027-34.

Abstract

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.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / isolation & purification
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / toxicity
  • Antioxidants / chemistry
  • Antioxidants / isolation & purification
  • Antioxidants / pharmacology*
  • Antioxidants / toxicity
  • Apoptosis / drug effects*
  • Biphenyl Compounds / chemistry
  • Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / drug therapy*
  • Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • DNA Fragmentation
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Male
  • Methanol / chemistry*
  • Mice
  • Phytotherapy
  • Picrates / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / chemistry
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Extracts / toxicity
  • Plant Leaves
  • Plants, Medicinal
  • Rubiaceae* / chemistry
  • Solvents / chemistry*
  • Time Factors
  • Tumor Burden

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Antioxidants
  • Biphenyl Compounds
  • Picrates
  • Plant Extracts
  • Solvents
  • 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl
  • Methanol