Evaluation Of Antitumor Activity Of Justicia Tranquebariensis L.F.

Abstract

Objectives: Cancer is the most deadliest disease in the modern world that is affecting all groups of people. Synthetic medicines are suffering with serious side effects and a high demand is created for the natural products based anticancer agents. The current work is aimed to screen the In vitro and In vivo antitumor properties of Justicia tranquebariensis L.f.
Methods: Antitumor activity of Justicia tranquebariensis L.f. will be estimated using MTT assay and Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) in mice. MTT assay was performed for the pet ether, and ethanol extracts of Justicia tranquebariensis L.f. and acute toxicity studies were also conducted according to OECD guidelines-423 using Swiss albino mice. The extracts were screened for cytotoxic potential in the cancer cell lines, namely, A 549 (lung), DU 145 (prostate), HT 29 (colon), MCF-7 (breast) cells. The EAC-bearing mice were treated with various doses of plant extracts, i.e., 200& 400 mg/kg body weight (bw) and standard Doxorubicin. Parameters such as tumor volume, packed cell volume, viable and non-viable cell count, survival time were determined and compared. The hematological parameters (RBC, WBC, Haemoglobin, & differential WBC count) and biochemical parameters (SGPT, SGOT, ASLP, total protein, and Bilirubin levels) were also evaluated. Results: The results show that the ethanol extracts of Justicia tranquebariensis L.f. are safe at a dose of 2,000mg/kg bw. The ethanol extract has potent cytotoxicity on Breast cancer (MCF-7; 5.01±4.85μM) followed by Lung cancer (A 549; 28.14±2.19), Colon cancer (HT 29; 32.83±5.11μM), and Prostate cancer (DU 145; 39.64±4.18).
Conclusion: The extracts exhibited significant antitumor activity in a dose-dependent manner, and ethanol extract at a dose of 400mg/kg body weight showed better survival, hematological, biochemical, and histological parameters. The treatment also increased the life span of the EAC-bearing mice.