Breast cancer amelioration by Butea monosperma in-vitro and in-vivo.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Butea monosperma belonging to family Fabaceae is used in the Indian traditional medicine (Ayurveda) for various ailments including abdominal tumors and possess anti-estrogenic activity. AIM OF THE STUDY: The present study is aimed at investigating the chemo-preventive potential of Butea monosperma in breast cancer and elucidating it's mechanism of action by assessing its effect on key processes like apoptosis, angiogenesis and metastasis. METHODS: Cytotoxic potential of methanol extract of Butea monosperma flower (MEBM) was tested in MCF-7 (estrogen receptor positive), MDA-MB-231 (triple negative) and MDA-MB-453 (HER2 positive) human breast cancer cells by MTT assay. Chemo-preventive potential was evaluated in-vivo in Methylnitrosourea (MNU) induced mammary cancer in nulliparous Sprague-Dawley rats. The mechanism for anticancer potential was screened by in-vitro studies involving Annexin V- FITC assay (apoptosis), Chick Chorioallantoic Membrane assay (angiogenesis) and Migration assay (metastasis). Statistical analysis was done by one way and two way ANOVA (for Growth Rate and feed consumption efficiency) followed by post hoc Bonferroni's test with P value < 0.05. RESULTS: It is observed that the exposure of MEBM, at various concentrations and time intervals to different cell lines, resulted in decreased cell proliferation. The IC50 value of MCF-7 cells was found significantly less than that of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 cells, which indicated that the extract of said medicinal plant were more potent inhibitors of estrogen positive breast cancer cells than other types of breast cancer cells in vitro. Corroborative evidences were acquired in MNU actuated mammary carcinogenesis where MEBM constricted tumor parameters, decreased expression of estrogen and progesterone, nucleic acid content and increased latency period. MEBM also induced apoptosis, inhibited angiogenesis and metastasis in-vitro. CONCLUSION: Selective cytotoxic activity in MCF-7 estrogen positive breast cancer cells and inhibition of growth of mammary carcinoma in-vivo by methanol extract of Butea monosperma flowers (MEBM) suggests chemo-prevention through modulation of estrogen and progesterone receptor, apoptotic, anti-angiogenesis and anti-metastatic activity.

Evaluation of bronchodilator and anti-anaphylactic activity of Myrica sapida.

BACKGROUND: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. The available treatment options have major limitations owing to low efficacy, associated adverse events and compliance issues. Therefore, the health burden of bronchial asthma is increasing globally at an alarming rate, providing a strong impetus for the development of new therapeutics. Myrica sapida is known traditionally in Ayurveda to possess anti-asthmatic activity. Hence, the present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the bronchodilator and anti-anaphylactic activity of the stem bark of Myrica sapida. METHODS: Experimental models studied were acetylcholine induced bronchospasm in guinea pigs, egg albumin induced anaphylaxis in guinea pigs, in vitro studies on tracheal strip of egg albumin sensitized guinea pigs. RESULTS: Treatment with ethanolic extract of M. sapida, 75 mg/kg, orally resulted in significant protection against acetylcholine aerosol induced bronchospasm and allergen induced anaphylaxis in guinea pigs. Ethanolic extract of M. sapida (75 mg/kg, p.o.) prevented the potentiation of responses and also produced a decrease in pD2 value of histamine and acetylcholine in guinea pig tracheal strip. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that M. sapida possesses bronchodilator activity, has potent inhibitory effect on immediate hyper-sensitivity reactions and decreases bronchial hyper-responsiveness.