title: Cytotoxic activity of Origanum dictamnus.
abstract: Several extracts of Origanum dictamnus, an endemic plant of Greece growing only in the island of Crete and the bioassay-directed isolated ursolic acid, were tested in vitro against the P388 (murine leukemia) and the human bronchial epidermoid cancer NSCLC-N6 (non small cell lung cancer) cell lines. Both the initial dichloromethane extract and the isolated from it ursolic acid exhibited cytotoxic activity. Ursolic acid was also tested in vivo, on murine ascite leukemia P388, where it exhibited at a dose of 50 mg/kg a marginal antileukemic activity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pharmacognosy and Chemistry of Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 157 71 Athens, Greece. ichinou@pharm.uoa.gr
authors.forename: Ioanna
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chinou
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liolios
authors.forename: Dimitri
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Roussakis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D031341:Origanum; D008517:Phytotherapy; D035261:Plant Components, Aerial; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts