title: Anti-proliferative and cytotoxic effects of Strychnos nux-vomica root extract on human multiple myeloma cell line - RPMI 8226.
abstract: Multiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable hematological malignancy with high incidence in the elderly. The currently used chemotherapeutic drugs show severe side effects, dose-limiting toxicity and development of resistance. In search of novel plant derived anti-cancer agents, Strychnos nux-vomica L. (SN) root extract was screened using the human MM-cell line, RPMI 8226. SN-extract exhibited anti-proliferative activity in a dose and time dependent manner. The morphological assessment of SN-extract treated cells showed significant features associated with apoptosis. Cell cycle analysis using flow cytometry of cells stained with propidium iodide revealed accumulation of cells at sub-G(0)/G(1) phase. In addition, disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential and subsequent leakage of mitochondrial cytochrome c was observed in SN-extract treated myeloma cells. The anti-proliferative and cytotoxic activity could be due to the alkaloids strychnine and brucine, which have been identified by LC-mass spectral analysis of the SN-extract in comparison to the reference standards analyzed under identical conditions.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Biotechnology, Department of Plant Sciences, University of Hyderabad, School of Life Sciences, Gachhibowli, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh 500 046, India. sraopasupuleti@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Pasupuleti Sreenivasa
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Madduri
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramanadham
authors.forename: Majeti Narasimha Vara
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Prasad
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D045304:Cytochromes c / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000737:chemistry; D013331:Strychnine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D031461:Strychnos nux-vomica / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts; C083806:brucine; D045304:Cytochromes c; D013331:Strychnine