title: Morinda citrifolia edible leaf extract enhanced immune response against lung cancer.
abstract: Lung cancer causes 1.4 million deaths annually. In the search for functional foods as complementary therapies against lung cancer, the immuno-stimulatory properties of the vegetable Morinda citrifolia leaves were investigated and compared with the anti-cancer drug erlotinib. Lung tumour-induced BALB/c mice were fed with 150 mg kg(-1) or 300 mg kg(-1) body weight of the leaf extract, or erlotinib (50 mg kg(-1) body-weight) for 21 days. The 300 mg kg(-1) body weight extract significantly (and dose-dependently) suppressed lung tumour growth; the extract worked more effectively than the 50 mg kg(-1) body weight erlotinib treatment. The extract significantly increased blood lymphocyte counts, and spleen tissue B cells, T cells and natural killer cells, and reduced the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) which is a lung adenocarcinoma biomarker. The extract also suppressed the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2) inflammatory markers, and enhanced the tumour suppressor gene (phosphatase and tensin homolog, PTEN). It inhibited tumour growth cellular gene (transformed mouse 3T3 cell double minute 2 (MDM2), V-raf-leukemia viral oncogene 1 (RAF1), and mechanistic target of rapamycin (MTOR)) mRNA expression in the tumours. The extract is rich in scopoletin and epicatechin, which are the main phenolic compounds. The 300 mg kg(-1)Morinda citrifolia leaf 50% ethanolic extract showed promising potential as a complementary therapeutic dietary supplement which was more effective than the 50 mg kg(-1) erlotinib in suppressing lung adenocarcinoma. Part of the mechanisms involved enhancing immune responses, suppressing proliferation and interfering with various tumour growth signalling pathways.
authors.affiliation: UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. mohamed.suhaila@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Swee-Ling
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yong-Meng
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Goh
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: M Mustapha
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Noordin
authors.affiliation: UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. mohamed.suhaila@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Heshu S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Rahman
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Hemn H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Othman
authors.affiliation: UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. mohamed.suhaila@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Nurul Ain
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Abu Bakar
authors.affiliation: UPM-MAKNA Cancer Research Laboratory, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. mohamed.suhaila@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Suhaila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohamed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D032066:Morinda / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D010936:Plant Extracts; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D051736:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-mdm2; D066246:ErbB Receptors