Antitumour activity of rhinacanthone against Dalton's ascitic lymphoma

The antitumour activity of Rhinacanthone (3,4-dihydro-3,3-dimethyl-2H-naphtho-[1,2-B] pyran-5,6-dione) has been evaluated against Dalton's ascitic lymphoma (DAL) in Swiss albino mice. A significant enhancement of mean survival time of tumour bearing mice and peritoneal cell count in normal mice was observed with respect to the control group. When these Rhinacanthone treated animals underwent i.p. inoculation with DAL cells, tumour cell growth was found to be inhibited. After 14 d of inoculation, Rhinacanthone was able to reverse the changes in the haemotological parameters, protein and packed cellular volume consequent to tumour inoculation.