Abstract

ALCOHOLIC EXTRACT OF CURCULIGO ORCHIOIDES GAERTN. EFFECTIVELY DOWN REGULATES DLA AND EAC INDUCED TUMOUR DEVELOPMENT AND ENHANCE THE TUMORICIDAL ACTIVITY OF MICE PERITONEAL MACROPHAGES

Vishnu Priya Murali and Girija Kuttan*

Abstract

Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. (family: Amaryllidaceae) commonly known as Black-Musali is a small stemless herb found to be growing in Tropical and Subtropical Asia. Immunostimulatory, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties of the plant have been reported earlier. In present study methanolic extract of Curculigo orchioides was studied for its antitumor activity against Daltons lymphoma ascites induced solid tumour model and Ehrlischs ascites carcinoma induced ascites model. The extract was found to be 100% toxic at a concentration of 0.8 mg/ml to Dalton’s lymphoma ascites (DLA) and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells in short term in vitro cytotoxicity assay. Curculigo orchioides extract was also found to be cytotoxic towards L929 cells in culture at a concentration of 0.1 mg/ml during MTT assay. Solid tumour volume was found to be reduced by the administration of C. orchioides extract (50mg/Kg body weight) and also increased the lifespan of the ascites tumour bearing animals by 65%. Serum proinflammatory cytokine levels were also lowered by the extract in DLA induced animals. Treatment with the extract also lowered serum gamma glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) and nitric oxide (NO) levels in ascites tumor bearing animals. C. orchioides along with the peritoneal macrophages elicited by sodium caseinate were found to be effective in increasing the lifespan of ascites tumour bearing animals. Thus C. orchioides through its immune stimulatory, anti inflammatory and cytotoxic properties found to be effective against DLA and EAC induced tumour models in mice.

Keywords: Curculigo orchioides, Daltons lymphoma ascites, Ehrlisch ascites carcinoma, peritoneal macrophages, proinflammatory cytokines, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase.