ANTITUMOR ACTIVITY OF MIMOSA RUBICAULIS LAM AGAINST EHRLICH ASCITES CARCINOMA IN SWISS ALBINO MICE

The antitumor activity of the methanol stem extract of Mimosa rubicaulis lam (MEMR) was evaluatedagainst Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) tumor model in Swiss albino mice. After 24h of intraperitonial inoculation of tumor (EAC) cells in mice, MEMRwas administered at the dose of 100, 200 and 400mg per kg body weight orally for 13 consecutive days. After 24 h of the last dose and followed by eighteen hours of fasting, mice were sacrificed and antitumor effect of MEMR extract on EAC bearing mice was assessed by evaluating tumor volume, viable and nonviable tumor cell count, mean survival time, percentage of increase in life span and hematological parameters of EAC bearing host. MEMR showed significant (p< 0.0001) decrease in tumor volume, viable cell count, percentage of increase in life span of EAC bearing mice. Haematological profile such as RBC, WBC, Haemoglobin, PCV (packed cell volume) levels restored to more or less normal level in MEMR treated mice as compared to EAC control. Effect of MEMR on viability of cancer cell lines (such as EAC, MCF-7, MDA-MB 435S) was evaluated by XTT assay, MEMR exhibited significant effect on cell viability. Apoptosis in EAC cell line was evaluated by DNA laddering assay, EAC cells treated with MEMR exhibited a characteristic “ladder” pattern after Separation of the fragments by agarose gel electrophoresis and subsequent visualization, by ethidium bromide staining. Therefore, from the results of the present study it can be concluded that MEMR exhibited significant anti-tumor activity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. The XTT assay and DNA laddering results indicate that MEMR exhibited cytotoxic effect on EAC, MCF-7, MDA-MB 435S cell lines and induced Apoptosis in EAC cell line.