title: Lac dye as a potential anti-neoplastic agent.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Certain anthraquinone compounds are effectively used for treatment of cancer. The present study describes the inhibitory activity of lac dye, a mixture of polyhydroxy anthraquinone compounds (Laccaic acid A, B, C, D and E), produced by the Indian lac insect, Kerria lacca (Kerr).
  
  
  METHODS
  In vitro testing for anticancer activity of lac dye was done at four concentrations (10, 20, 40, 80 μg/ml) on ten human malignant cell lines including six human leukemia cell lines, U973, Raji, K562, Jurkat, MOLT 4 and HL60 using SRB assay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both crimson and yellow lac dye inhibits proliferation of Human leukemia cell lines, Raji, U937, K562, HL60 and Jurkat, therefore can be considered as a potential anticancer agent for leukemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra; Lac Production Division, Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums, Namkum, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
authors.forename: Gulsaz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Shamim
authors.affiliation: Lac Production Division, Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums, Namkum, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
authors.forename: Sanjeev Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Ranjan
authors.affiliation: Department of Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, India.
authors.forename: Dev Mani
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Pandey
authors.affiliation: Lac Production Division, Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums, Namkum, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
authors.forename: Kewal Krishan
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Lac Production Division, Indian Institute of Natural Resins and Gums, Namkum, Ranchi, Jharkhand, India.
authors.forename: Rangnathan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ramani
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001391:Azo Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D001391:Azo Compounds; C009765:lac dye