Tumour reducing and anticarcinogenic activity of Acanthus ilicifolius in mice.

Alcoholic extract of Acanthus ilicifolius (250,500 mg/kg b wt) was found to be effective against tumour progression and carcinogen induced skin papilloma formation in mice. The extract was found to be cytotoxic towards lung fibroblast (L-929) cells in 72 h MTT assay and the concentration required for 50% cell death was 18 microg/ml. Oral administration of the extract (500 mg/kg b wt) reduced the tumour volume and administration of the same concentration increased the life span by 75% in ascites tumour (EAC cells) harbouring animals. The extract also significantly delayed the onset of dimethylbenzanthrazene DMBA/Croton oil induced skin papilloma in mice in a dose dependent manner.     

Antitumour and anticarcinogenic activity of Phyllanthus amarus extract

Aqueous extract of Phyllanthus amarus (P. amarus) treatment exhibited potent anticarcinogenic activity against 20-methylcholanthrene (20-MC) induced sarcoma development and increased the survival of tumour harboring mice. The extract administration (p.o) was also found to prolong the life span of Dalton's Lymphoma Ascites (DLA) and Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice and reduced the volume of transplanted solid tumours. The extract inhibited aniline hydroxylase, a P-450 enzyme. The concentration required for 50% inhibition (IC(50)) was found to be 540 microg/ml. The extract was found to inhibit DNA topoisomerase II of Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant cell cultures and inhibited cell cycle regulatory enzyme cdc25 tyrosine phosphatase (IC(50-25) microg/ml). Antitumour and anticancer activity of P. amarus may be related with the inhibition of metabolic activation of carcinogen as well as the inhibition of cell cycle regulators and DNA repair.     

Effects of Piper longum fruit, Piper sarmentosum root and Quercus infectoria nut gall on caecal amoebiasis in mice

The anti-amoebic effects of crude methanol extracts of Piper longum fruit, Piper sarmentosum root and Quercus infectoria nut gall against Entamoeba histolytica infecting the caecum of mice were studied. Caecal amoebiasis in mice was induced by injection of Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites directly into the caecum. The mice were then treated orally with the extract, a standard drug (metronidazole), or vehicle p.o. for five consecutive days, beginning 24 h after the infection and were examined on the sixth day. At a dose of 1000 mg/kg per day, the extracts of Piper longum fruit, Piper sarmentosum root and Quercus infectoria nut gall had a curative rate of 100, 40 and 26%, respectively. At a concentration of 500 and 250 mg/kg/day, extract from Piper longum fruit was still effective in 93 and 46% of the cases, respectively, while extract from Piper sarmentosum root at a dose of less than 1000 mg/kg per day did not cure any mice from amoebiasis. Extract of Quercus infectoria nut gall at a concentration of 500 and of 250 mg/kg per day cured 26 and 13% of mice, respectively. Metronidazole at a concentration of 125 and of 62.5 mg/kg per day had a curative rate of 100 and 60%, respectively. The severity of caecal wall ulceration was reduced in mice which received the extract and metronidazole as compared to the control animals.     

Antigiardial and immunostimulatory effect of Piper longum on giardiasis due to Giardia lamblia.

Piper longum fruit, used in traditional remedies as well as in the Ayurvedic system of medicine against intestinal disorders, was tested for its efficacy against experimental infection of Giardia lamblia in mice. On in vitro test, an aqueous extract of P. longum fruit powder (PF) at 250 microg/mL and its ethanol extract at 125 microg/mL showed 100% giardicidal activity. A low order activity was found in the n-butanol extract. Further fractionation in hexane and chloroform resulted in a total loss of activity. The survival of-trophozoites in mice at 900 mg/kg body weight was 11.12 in PF, 8. 54 in aqueous extract, 5.81 in ethanol extract. The antigiardial activity of PF in hexane, chloroform and n-butanol soluble fractions was comparable to the drug-untreated control (47.63). Piper longum possessed a demonstrable immunostimulatory activity, both specific and nonspecific, as evident from the standard test parameters such as haemagglutination titre (HA), plaque forming cell (PFC) counts, macrophage migration index (MMI) and phagocytic index (PI). A maximum effect was found at 225 mg/kg body weight in mice. The effect was marginally reduced at higher doses of 450 and 900 mg/kg or the lower dose of 112.5 mg/kg.     

Cytotoxic and antitumor activities of a polypore macrofungus,Phellinus rimosus (Berk) Pilat

Cytotoxic and antitumor activities of ethyl acetate, methanol and aqueous extracts of a wood inhabiting polypore macrofungus, Phellinus rimosus (Berk) Pilat. were studied. Ethyl acetate and methanol extracts showed in vitro cytotoxic activity against Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA) and Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) cell lines. The aqueous extract did not exhibit cytotoxicity against the tested cell lines. All the three extracts were highly effective in inhibiting growth of solid tumor induced by DLA cell line in mice. However, the antitumor activity of ethyl acetate extract was higher than that of methanol and aqueous extracts. The ethyl acetate extract was also effective in preventing the EAC induced ascites tumor development in mice. The antitumor activity of all the three extracts against solid tumor at a dose of 50 mg/kg (p.o.) was comparable to the clinically used standard reference drug, cisplatin (4 mg/kg, i.p.). Pre-treatment of the extracts was also effective in inhibiting the tumor growth induced by DLA cell lines. The experimental results revealed that ethyl acetate extract of P. rimosus possessed significant antitumor activity. The findings thus suggest the potential use of this mushroom as antitumor agent.     

In vitro cytotoxic and antitumor property of Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC in mice

Methanolic extract of Emilia sonchifolia (Compositae), a folklore medicinal plant, was found to be cytotoxic to Daltons lymphoma (DL), Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and mouse lung fibroblast (L-929) cells, but not toxic to normal human lymphocytes, under in vitro conditions. Oral administration of the extract (100 mg/kg, b. wt) to mice reduced the development of both solid and ascites tumors and increased the life span of these tumor bearing mice. Further, the extract inhibited DNA synthesis as judged from a reduction in tritiated thymidine incorporation into DL cells under in vitro conditions.     

Anti-snake venom activities of ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum L. (Piperaceae) against Russell's viper venom: Characterization of piperine as active principle

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Piper longum L. fruits have been traditionally used against snakebites in north-eastern and southern region of India.

Aim of the study

To examine the ability of ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum L., Piperaceae (PLE) and piperine, one of the main active principles of Piper longum, to inhibit the Russell's viper (Doboia russelii, Viperidae) snake venom activities.

Materials and methods

Anti-snake venom activities of ethanolic extract of fruits of Piper longum L. (Piperaceae) and piperine against Russell's viper venom was studied in embryonated fertile chicken eggs, mice and rats by using various models as follows: inhibition of venom lethal action, inhibition of venom haemorrhagic action (in vitro), inhibition of venom haemorrhagic action (in vivo), inhibition of venom necrotizing action, inhibition of venom defibrinogenating action, inhibition of venom induced paw edema, inhibition of venom induced mast cell degranulation, creatine kinase assay and assay for catalase activity.

Results

PLE was found to inhibit the venom induced haemorrhage in embryonated fertile chicken eggs. Administration of PLE and piperine significantly (p<0.01) inhibited venom induced lethality, haemorrhage, necrosis, defibrinogenation and inflammatory paw edema in mice in a dose dependent manner. PLE and piperine also significantly (p<0.01) reduced venom induced mast cell degranulation in rats. Venom induced decrease in catalase enzyme levels in mice kidney tissue and increase in creatine kinase enzyme levels in mice serum were significantly (p<0.01) reversed by administration of both PLE and piperine.

Conclusions

PLE possesses good anti-snake venom properties and piperine is one of the compounds responsible for the effective venom neutralizing ability of the plant.     

Trigonella foenum graecum (fenugreek) seed extract as an antineoplastic agent

The antineoplastic effect of Trigonella foenum graecum seed extract has been evaluated in the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) model in Balb-C mice. Intra-peritoneal administration of the alcohol extract of the seed both before and after inoculation of EAC cell in mice produced more than 70% inhibition of tumour cell growth with respect to the control. Treatment with the extract was found to enhance both the peritoneal exudate cell and macrophage cell counts. The extract also produced a significant antiinflammatory effect. We report here the antiinflammatory and antineoplastic effects, of Trigonella foenum graecum seed extract.     

Antitumour activity of Emblica officinalis

Aqueous extract of Emblica officinalis (E.O) was found to be cytotoxic to L 929 cells in culture in a dose dependent manner. Concentration needed for 50% inhibition was found to be 16.5 microg/ml. E.O and chyavanaprash (a non-toxic herbal preparation containing 50% E.O) extracts were found to reduce ascites and solid tumours in mice induced by DLA cells. Animals treated with 1.25 g/kg b.wt. of E.O extract increased life span of tumour bearing animals (20%) while animals treated with 2.5 g/kg b.wt. of chyavanaprash produced 60.9% increased in the life span. Both E.O and chyavanaprash significantly reduced the solid tumours. Tumour volume of control animals on 30th day was 4.6 ml where as animals treated with 1.25 g/Kg b.wt. of E.O extract and 2.5 g/kg b.wt. of chyavanaprash showed a tumour volume of 1.75 and 0.75 ml, respectively. E.O extract was found to inhibit cell cycle regulating enzymes cdc 25 phosphatase in a dose dependent manner. Concentration needed for 50% inhibition of cdc 25 phosphatase was found to be 5 microg/ml and that needed for inhibition of cdc2 kinase was found to be >100 microg/ml. The results suggest that antitumour activity of E.O extract may partially be due to its interaction with cell cycle regulation.     

高效液相色谱法测定不同色泽荜茇中胡椒碱含量

目的：采用HPLC方法测定荜茇灰色、黑色、棕色胡椒碱含量。方法：色谱柱Q（4．6×150mm，5μm）；流动相：甲醇-水（77：23）；流速：1mL·min^-1；柱温30℃；测定波长：343nm。结果：胡椒碱9．2～46．0μg·mL^-1成线性关系（r=0．999）；回收率为100．4％；RSD=2．5％；荜茇灰色、黑色、棕色胡椒碱含量分别为15．00、16．35、10．28mg·g^-1。结论：灰色、黑色荜茇胡椒碱含量高于棕色荜茇胡椒碱含量。