Morinda Citrifolia Leaf Extract Ameliorated Leukemia in Mice Model

Abstract

Leukemia affects over a million people worldwide and disturbs the bone marrow, the spleen and the lymph system. In finding dietary therapy against leukemia the vegetable Morinda citrifolia leaves were investigated and compared with ATRA (alltrans-retinoic acid) in mice. The extract standardised to epicatechin and scopoletin was anti-proliferative against human JURKAT and murine WEHI-3B leukemia cells (IC50 of 14.5 and 17μg /ml respectively) in vitro yet was non-toxic to normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Leukemia was induced in the BALB/c mice by inoculating WEHI-3B cells subcutaneously. Three days after leukemia development the extract (100 and 200mg /Kg BW) or ATRA (5mg/kg BW) were fed daily to the mice for four weeks. The extract decreased the leukemic mice peripheral blood immature leukocytes, anemia, total white blood cells; bone marrow blasts cells content and blast cells invasions to the spleen and liver. Electron microscopy and histopathology observations confirmed the extract induced leukemia cells apoptosis similar to ATRA. The extract also mitigated the changes in T-cells and B-cells levels in the leukemic spleen tissues in vivo. The extract dose dependently induced leukemia cells apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo restored all pathological blood, liver and spleen changes in vivo and reinstated the endogenous immune responses to normal healthy levels in vivo.