title: Embelin (2,5-dihydroxy-3-undecyl-p-benzoquinone): a bioactive molecule isolated from Embelia ribes as an effective photodynamic therapeutic candidate against tumor in vivo.
abstract: The present study was carried out to assess the photosensitizing potential of embelin, the biologically active natural product isolated from Embelia ribes in photodynamic therapy (PDT) experiments in vivo. In vitro PDT clearly indicated that embelin recorded significant cytotoxicity in Ehrlich's Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) cells, which is superior to 5-aminolevulinic acid, a known photodynamic compound. For in vivo experiments solid tumor was induced using EAC cells in the male Swiss albino mice of groups I, II, III and IV. Group I served as the control (without solid tumor), group II served as tumor bearing mice without treatment and groups III and IV served as treatments. At the completion of 4 weeks of induction, the tumor bearing mice from group III and IV were given an intraperitoneal injection with embelin (12.5mg/kg body weight). After 24h, tumor area in the Group III and IV animals was exposed to visible light from a 1,000 W halogen lamp. The mice from groups I to III were sacrificed 2 weeks after the PDT treatment and the marker enzymes (myeloperoxidase [MPO], β-d-glucuronidase, and rhodanese) were assayed and expression of Bcl-2 and Bax were analyzed in normal and tumor tissues. Animals from group IV were sacrificed after 90 days of PDT treatment and the above mentioned parameters were recorded. Reduction in tumor volume and reversal of biochemical markers to near normal levels were observed in the treated groups. This is the first report on PDT using a natural compound for solid tumor control in vivo. The uniqueness of the mode of treatment lies in the selective uptake of the nontoxic natural compound, embelin from the medicinal plant E. ribes used in Indian system of medicine, by the solid tumor cells and their selective destruction using PDT without affecting the neighboring normal cells, which is much advantageous over radiation therapy now frequently used.
authors.affiliation: Agroprocessing and Natural Product Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences and Technology (CSIR), Thiruvananthapuram 695 019, Kerala, India. Electronic address: bjoy1571@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Beena
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Joy
authors.affiliation: Agroprocessing and Natural Product Division, National Institute for Interdisciplinary Sciences and Technology (CSIR), Thiruvananthapuram 695 019, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nishanth Kumar
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Soumya
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Radhika
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vibin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, University of Kerala, Kariavattom Campus, Thiruvananthapuram 695 581, Kerala, India. Electronic address: annieab2001@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Annie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Abraham
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016227:Benzoquinones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002286:Carcinoma, Ehrlich Tumor / Q000188:drug therapy*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D031645:Embelia / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010778:Photochemotherapy
chemical_list: D016227:Benzoquinones; C010945:embelin
keywords: Embelin; Photodynamic therapy; Solid tumor; Swiss albino mice