POTENTIAL ANTI-TUMOR AND ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF SIX MISTLETOE PLANTS IN THE FAMILY VISCACEAE PRESENT IN WESTERN GHATS, INDIA

Ramadasan Kuttan,Sivamurthy R G,Girija Kuttan

doi:10.22159/ijpps.2017v9i11.20541

Abstract

ABSTRACTObjectivesTo find out the cytotoxicity, anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory activities of six species of plants belongs to Viscaeceae family available in Western Ghats (India).MethodsIn vitro cytotoxicity of Viscum extracts was studied by trypan blue exclusion method and MTT assay using various cell lines. Anti-tumor activity was determined using Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) and Dalton’s lymphoma ascites (DLA) cells in mice. Anti-inflammatory activities of Viscum extracts were studied using carrageenan and dextran induced mouse paw edema models in mice.ResultsAll six Viscaeceae plant extracts studied were cytotoxic towards transformed cell lines like DLA and EAC as well as to MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and SKBR3 cell lines. V.orientale, V.nepalense and V.ramosissimum, V.trilobatum were cytotoxic towards normal cells while V.angulatum and V.capitellatum were found to be nontoxic. Excepting V.angulatum all the other species selected here showed toxicity to animals. Administration of nontoxic concentration of extracts of Viscaeceae plants significantly (P<0.001) increased the lifespan of ascites tumor bearing animals and reduced DLA cells induced solid tumor development. All these plants except V.capitallatum and V.trilobatum showed significant (P<0.001) anti-inflammatory activity against carrageenan and dextran models and reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels.ConclusionOut of six species studied four species of Viscum species studied were cytotoxic to tumour cells and inhibited tumour development. Of the six species studied V. angulatum was non-toxic to animals and showed maximum efficiency as an antitumour agent. These plants showed significant anti-inflammatory activity and reduced inflammatory markers.

Highlights

Viscum is a genus of about 70-100 species of mistletoes, native to temperate and tropical regions of Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia
Short term cytotoxicity studies using different Viscum species by trypan blue-dye exclusion assay showed that V. orientale, V. nepalense, V. ramosissimum and V. angulatum were cytotoxic to Dalton’s lymphoma ascites (DLA) cells
We checked the cytotoxic effect of V. orientale, V. nepalense, V. ramosissimum and V. angulatum, V. capitallatum and V. trillobatum against breast cancer cell lines such as MCF-7, MDA-MB-231 and SkBR3 cell lines

Summary

Introduction

Viscum is a genus of about 70-100 species of mistletoes, native to temperate and tropical regions of Europe, Africa, Asia and Australasia. V. album contains several active components such as mistletoe lectins [8] viscotoxins [9], alkaloids [10] and polysaccharides [11] which are reported to show anti-tumor properties by causing cell cycle delay or arrest and induction of apoptosis [12]. It inhibits tumor angiogenesis [13, 14] and exert immune-potentiating activities that enhance the host defense system against tumors [15; 16]. The analysis of clinical studies suggests that adjuvant treatment of cancer patients with mistletoe extracts is associated with a better survival, a reduction of side effects of conventional therapy and with an increase of quality of life [18,19,20,21]

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