MTT assay

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths, both in women and among men. In India, Several population based cohort studies were conducted which confirm the significant burden of lung cancer in India, contributing significantly toward the cancer morbidity and mortality. In order to get rid of adverse effects from currently available treatment, scientists have focused on the development of safe anti-cancer agents from herbal sources. Sorgamara Ilai chooranam (Simarouba glauca) is one of the herb mentioned in Siddha text with anti-cancer potential. Hence this present study was performed to validate anti-cancer potential of Sorgamara Ilai Chooranam through MTT assay on A549 cell line at various concentrations. Result showed that the exposure of A549 cells to Sorgamara Ilai Chooranam at the various concentrations significantly reduced the cell viability in a concentration dependent manner. As the concentration increases the cell viability% significantly decreases. For Sorgamara Ilai Chooranam from 7.8µg/ml to 62.5 µg/ml concentration the cell viability % significantly decreased from 74.85 to 52.80. In conclusion, the present study shows that Sorgamara Ilai Chooranam obtained from Simarouba glauca exhibited cytotoxic and anti proliferative activities. The anticancer activities could be explained partly by the presence of high content of Quassinoids and phenolic compounds. However, pharmacological and toxicological studies, preclinical and clinical trials are needed to elucidate the utility of Sorgamara Ilai Chooranam in the treatment of lung cancer.

Vitamin A and its derivatives (known as retinoids) play a crucial role in vision, inhibition of cell proliferation, cell division and differentiation and Fetal development. The active form of vitamin A is retinol, also known as vitamin A1 is found in animal products as preformed vitamin A. All-trans-retinol (vitamin A) has been studied as antioxidant in in vitro but limited data is available on cytotoxic effects of retinol on cancer cell lines. In this paper, the cytotoxic effects of retinol on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) and prostate cancer cells (PC-3) were studied. Our experiments showed that maximum cytotoxicity was achieved at 48 hours and at 100µM concentration of all-trans-retinol on both the cell lines. The results have significant implications for understanding anti-cancer effects of all-trans-retinol on breast and prostate cancer cell lines.

The present study was to evaluate preliminary phytochemical analysis and in vitro cytotoxic activity on root extracts and fractions of Jatropha gossipiifolia (family Euphorbiaceae). The Chloroform and ethanol extract was obtained by hot continuous percolation by soxhlet apparatus. The phytochemical analysis of both the extracts shows the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, phenolic compounds and steroids. Both the extracts subjected to in vitro cytotoxic activity against breast cancer cell line (MCF–7) cell line by MTT assay. The active extract (ethanol) was then subjected to fractionation by column chromatography by gradient elution from n hexane – ethanol. The fractions (chloroform 100%, chloroform: ethyl acetate, ethyl acetate: ethanol, ethanol 100%) The fractions were then subjected to in vitro cytotoxic activity against MCF– 7 cell line by MTT assay. The ethanol extract shows good anticancer activity. The percentage growth of MCF-7 cells in chloroform and ethanol extract treated against MCF-7 cell line was found to be 49.59 and 28.46 respectively. The EC50 value of chloroform and ethanol extract was found to be 0.00018 & 0.00055mg/ml respectively. The ethanol 100% shows good anticancer activity compared to other fractions against MCF-7 cell line with the percentage growth of 14.650 and EC50 value was found to be 0.00087mg/ml.

Adhatoda vasica Nees (Acanthaceace) is a well known medicinal plant. Its diverse medicinal activities include cardiovascular protection, abortifacient, antitubercular, antimutagenic, antiulcer, antiasthmatic activities, hepatoprotective, antibacterial and anti cancer activities. It is commonly used in original and traditional folk medicine system. In the prior times, many people used plants to cure diseases just by experimental data without knowing anything about its compounds. A number of evidence has been documented to demonstrate the probability of these plants in pharma industry. In recent years Adhatoda vasica an important medicinal plant that has been extensively used in pharmacological analysis and toxicological studies was found and these phytochemicals were considered to be greater importance in pharma industry. The present study was carried out to evaluate the anticancer activity of the compound isolated from ethyl acetate fractions of Adhatoda vasica and it was found to very good anticancer action against liver cancer. The compound isolated from ethyl acetate fraction of Adhatoda vasica flowers was tested for its anti cancer activity against liver cancer HePG2 cell line by MTT assay. The CTC50 value of sample was 228.5µg/ml against liver cancer HePG2 cell lines. Significant results were observed thereby proving the use of this plant in the traditional system of medicine.

In this present work quercetin nanosuspension (QNS) has been formulated and investigated its anti-tumor activity against Dalton’s lymphoma cells (DLA) in an in vitro model.  Since quercetin is insoluble in water, it has been formulated into nanosuspension in order to improve the solubility as well as dissolution rate of the drug. Quercetin nanosuspension (QNS) was formulated using homogenization method followed by lyophilization process. The QNS was subjected to particle size, zeta-potential, FTIR, solubility study, in-vitro dissolution study and stability study. Further QNS was subjected to anti-oxidant study and anti-tumor study using Dalton’s lymphoma cells. The results showed that Particle size of the QNS was found to be within the range of ~160-200nm. The zeta potential values of QNS were obtained as (3.69mV). Solubility of QNS was found to be 15.41±0.6683µg/ml. QNS could increase the dissolution rate as well as the saturation solubility. QNS showed significant antioxidant activity compared with that of standard ascorbic acid. QNS exhibited dose-dependent anti-tumor activity with DLA cells. This study concluded that formulated QNS exhibited potent antioxidant activity as well as anti-tumor activity.

Cancer, a disease characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of cells that have transformed from the normal cells of the body and is one of the major causes of death in developed and developing nations. Presently available treatment method, chemotherapeutic agents, suffers from drawback of toxicity such as bone marrow suppression, alopecia and vomiting. Its not within the reach of common man. Therefore challenging task is to identify quick and novel methods which can be of therapeutic value in human cancers. Plants have a long history and important role as a source of effective anti-cancer agents. Hence in the present study, one of the traditionally used plant, M.minuta was screened for cytotoxicity. Successive solvent extraction was carried out and the petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, alcoholic and aqueous extracts of M.minuta were prepared. Extracts were subjected to Brine shrimp lethality assay and it was observed that % mortality increased gradually with the increase in concentration of the test samples. Ethyl acetate and alcoholic extracts which showed better cytotoxicty were further screened for their cytotoxicity towards breast cancer cell lines using MTT cell viability assay. In the same, ethyl acetate extract was found to be significantly cytotoxic towards cell lines compared to that of alcoholic extract which may be due to higher amount of phenolic compounds present in them. The results obtained in this study further supported the traditional usage of the drug and the activity of drug can be attributed to major bioactive phytochemical class; poly phenolics, present in the drug.