title: Evaluation of chemopreventive potentials of ethanolic extract of Ruta graveolens against A375 skin melanoma cells in vitro and induced skin cancer in mice in vivo.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Chemopreventive approach with natural products, particularly plants and plant-derived ones, is receiving increasing attention for their effective role against cancer without any palpable side effects. In this study, efficacy of ethanolic extract of Ruta graveolens (RG) on skin melanoma cells (A375) in vitro and on 7,12-dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced skin cancer in vivo has been tested in Swiss albino mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Studies on cell viability, apoptosis and autophagy induction were conducted in vitro. To check apoptosis, assays like alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential, annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide assay and immunoblot were performed. Fluorescence microscopic and immunoblot assays were performed to confirm autophagy induction. The effects of RG were determined by evaluating body weight, tumor incidence, tumor volume and tumor burden in mice. Enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant status was assessed. The role of some relevant signaling proteins was also analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RG caused death of A375 cells through induction of caspase 3-mediated apoptosis and Beclin-1-associated autophagy. Moreover, RG administration (75 mg/kg body weight) which showed no acute or chronic toxicity, showed significant reduction in the skin tumor burden of DMBA-painted mice. RG also demonstrated potent anti-lipid peroxidative and antioxidant functions during the course of skin cancer induction by DMBA.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Chemopreventive potential of RG was demonstrated from overall results of this study, indicating its possible use in therapeutic formulation of an effective drug to treat skin cancer.
authors.affiliation: Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Samrat
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ghosh
authors.affiliation: Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Sourav
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sikdar
authors.affiliation: Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Avinaba
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mukherjee
authors.affiliation: Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani-741235, West Bengal, India; E-mail: prof_arkb@yahoo.co.in; khudabukhsh_48@rediffmail.com.
authors.forename: Anisur Rahman
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Khuda-Bukhsh
mesh_terms: D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene; D000818:Animals; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001343:Autophagy / Q000187:drug effects; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004249:DNA Damage; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D008517:Phytotherapy; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D032105:Ruta; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D015127:9,10-Dimethyl-1,2-benzanthracene