Terpenoids of methanol extract of Clerodendrum infortunatum exhibit anticancer activity against Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) in mice.
BACKGROUND
Clerodendrum infortunatum Linn. is a widely used plant in the Indian indigenous system of medicine for the treatment of tumors.


OBJECTIVE
The present study evaluated the anticancer activity of methanol extract of C. infortunatum (MECI) against Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) bearing Swiss albino mice and isolation of bioactive terpenoids from it.


METHODS
HPLC analysis of the methanol extract showed the presence of three major components. Out of those, two compounds were isolated and characterized as oleanolic acid and clerodinin A. The anticancer activity of MECI was assessed by measuring the tumor growth response, percentage increase of life span, study of hematological parameters, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activity like glutathion and CAT. In vitro cytotoxicity assay was also performed using EAC cell lines.


CONCLUSIONS
Treatment with MECI causes significant decrease in the tumor cell volume and increase in the life span. The median survival time (MST) of EAC control group was found as 19.42 ± 0.91 d, whereas the MST was increased to 23.44 ± 2.69 d and 27.57 ± 2.57 d for the groups treated with MECI at 100 and 200 mg/kg, respectively. All the hematological parameters, malonaldehyde content and antioxidant enzymes' activity were restored towards the normal level. IC(50) value of MECI was found as 498.33 µg/mL in cytotoxicity study. The experimental results suggested that MECI has significant anticancer activity, which can be attributed to the presence of oleanolic acid and clerodinin A.
NSHM College of Pharmaceutical Technology, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. santanuin@rediffmail.com
Santanu
S
Sannigrahi
Upal Kanti
UK
Mazumder
Dilipkumar
D
Pal
Silpi Lipsa
SL
Mishra
D000818:Animals; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid / Q000379:methods; D032409:Clerodendrum / Q000737:chemistry*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007194:India; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D051379:Mice; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D015996:Survival Rate; D013729:Terpenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D000975:Antioxidants; D010936:Plant Extracts; D013729:Terpenes