Cytotoxic Effect of Hydroethanolic Extract of Citrullus colocynth (L) Fruit against Human Lung Cancer Cell Line

J Selvaraj,K P Sowmya,Lavanya Prathap,Preetha S

doi:10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i57b34033

J Selvaraj, K P Sowmya + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.9734/jpri/2021/v33i57b34033

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Abstract

Citrullus colocynthis is a traditional medicinal plant that belongs to the cucurbitaceae family. The extract of the fruit is rich in therapeutic phytochemicals. Lung cancer is a disease with high mortality and morbidity rates. Recently the research has been focused on herbal medicine as a treatment approach for cancer because of its no or less side effects. The aim of the study is to know about the anticancer effect of hydroethanolic extract of Citrullus colocynthis fruit against human lung cancer cell line through apoptosis pathway. Cell viability test was done by MTT assay. The mRNA expression of Bcl2 and Bcl-xL was done using the real-time PCR. The obtained data was analysed statistically by one way analysis of variance and Duncan multiple range test with graph prism version 5 to analyse the significance. The significance was considered at p<0.05 level in Duncan’s test. Citrullus colocynthis fruit extract increased the inhibition of growth of lung cancer cells. The activity of Bcl2 and Bcl xL was significantly down regulated at 400μg. The study concludes that Citrullus colocynthis fruit extract has anticancer activity on A549 human lung cancer cell line through apoptosis pathway.

Highlights

Medicinal plants have been a resource for healing in communities
400 to 500μg/ml concentration of the extract showed maximum inhibition of the viability of the lung cancer cells suggesting that Citrullus colocynthis induces apoptosis in A549 cells (Fig.1)
In the treated A549 lung cancer cell line, the Bcl xL was significantly down regulated by Citrullus colocynthis at a dose of 300μg

Summary

Introduction

Medicinal plants have been a resource for healing in communities. Medicinal plants are the source of anti cancer agents. It has anti mutagenic and antioxidant compounds against chemicals with low cost, low side effects [1]. Owing to the strong therapeutic effects, the medicinal plants are being traditionally used to treat several diseases [2,3,4]. Different parts of medicinal plants have numerous nutraceutical values and are enriched with proteins, carbohydrates, vitamins, fibre, potassium, calcium and the presence of phytoconstituents contributes to its significant medicinal property [5,6,7,8]. A well known traditional medicinal plant is Citrullus colocynthis belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family of plants [9]

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