Antitumor potential of Citrus limetta fruit peel in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma bearing Swiss albino mice

Abstract

<em>Citrus limetta </em>Risso (Rutaceae), commonly known as sweet lime in English and <em>Mousambi</em> in India, has been traditionally used for several medicinal purposes. This study explored the relationship between <em>Citrus limetta </em>fruit peel and its antitumor activity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) bearing mice. The antitumor activity of methanol extract of peel of <em>Citrus limetta</em> fruits (MECL) was evaluated against EAC cell line in Swiss albino mice. Twenty-four hours after intraperitoneal inoculation of tumor EAC cells in mice, MECL was administered at 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight i.p. daily for nine consecutive days. On the 10th day, half of the mice were sacrificed for the estimation of tumor growth (tumor volume, viable and non-viable tumor cell counts), and hematologic parameters (red blood cells, white blood cells and hemoglobin). The rest were kept alive for assessment of survival parameters, <em>i.e. </em>median survival time and percentage increase in life span of EAC bearing mice. Intraperitoneal administration of MECL at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg for nine days to the carcinoma induced mice demonstrated a significant (P<0.001) decrease in tumor volume, viable tumor cell count, tumor weight and a significant (P<0.001) improvement in hematological parameters and life span as compared to the EAC control mice. The present study establishes marked and dose dependant anti-tumor effect of <em>C. limetta </em>fruit peel against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma bearing Swiss mice.