title: Antiproliferative effects of Plumbago rosea and its purified constituent plumbagin on SK-MEL 28 melanoma cell lines.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Plumbago rosea is used in traditional systems of medicine for the preparation of formulations used for treating inflammations, cough, bronchitis, and gastrointestinal disorders, and also in conjunction with cancer chemotherapy. In the present study, the cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects of plumbagin, and the ethanolic root extract of P. rosea (ETPR) was evaluated on SK-MEL 28 melanoma cell lines and human lymphocytes.
  
  
  METHODS
  MTT and apoptotic assays were used for the evaluation of cytotoxic and anti-proliferative effects, respectively. In addition, the effect of Plumbagin and ETPR in down regulation of BCL-2 expression is investigated using RT-PCR analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both plumbagin and ETPR dose-dependently decreased the cell viability more potently in melanoma cell lines. P. rosea extract demonstrated significant synergy in inhibiting BCL-2 expression than plumbagin. Moreover plumbagin showed more toxicity in human lymphocytes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Plumbagin has anti-cancer potential, but the side effects limits its use; yet plumbagin, in combination with other ingredients in Plumbago rosea extract, displays significant synergy leading to a stronger anticancer effect with significantly less toxicity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Kamaraj College of Engineering and Technology, Virudhunagar,Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Alexander Ronaldo
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Anuf
authors.affiliation: Biogenix Research Centre, Trivandrum, Kerala, India.
authors.forename: Rajesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology Campus, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Rajaram
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krishnasamy
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology Campus, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: P S Sudhakar
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Gandhi
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Bharathidasan Institute of Technology Campus, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: Sureshkumar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Periyasamy
keywords: BCL-2; Plumbago rosea; SK-MEL 28; ethanolic root extract of P. rosea; high performance liquid chromatography; plumbagin