Protective effect of Thuja occidentalis against DMBA-induced breast cancer with reference to oxidative stress.

In vivo experiment has been conducted to observe the preventive role of Thuja occidentalis Linn (leaves) against 7, 12 dimethylbenz(a)anthracene (DMBA)-induced mammary cancer. Ethyl acetate (EtOAc) and methanolic (MeOH) extracts in two doses (5 and 10 mg/kg body weight) of the plant were tested for DMBA-induced Indian Cancer Research Centre (ICRC) mice mammary carcinoma in terms of tumor weight, volume, life span, histological variation and oxidative stress against the reference drug doxorubicin using standard animal protocol. EtOAc extract (10 mg/kg body weight) of the plant exhibits reduction of tumor weight (39%), tumor volume (50%), reduced glutathione (GSH) (83%) and malignant cells compared to cancerous control group while the increase in body weight and life span in comparison with cancerous control and doxorubicin-treated group. EtOAc extract being most potent extract has been subjected to detailed chromatographic separation. The most potent chromatographic fraction exhibits the presence of flavonoidal unit. Structural elucidation of bioactive principle is in progress. It is inferred that the plant T. occidentalis (leaves) possess significant potential for phytopreventive bioefficacy against DMBA-induced mammary carcinogenesis.

Chenopodium album prevents progression of cell growth and enhances cell toxicity in human breast cancer cell lines.

The present study is aimed to investigate the effects of Chenopodium album (leaves) on the growth of estrogen dependent (MCF-7) and estrogen independent (MDA-MB-468) human breast cancer cell lines. The different solvent extracts (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate and methanol) were assessed for their cytotoxicity using TBE (Trypan blue exclusion) and MTT [3-(4, 5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium] bioassay. These cells were cultured in MEM (minimum essential medium) medium and incubated with the dilution series of extracts (10-100 mg/ml) in CO(2) incubator at 37 degrees C for 24 h. Among the various extracts studied for two cell lines, methanolic extract of C. album (leaves) exhibited maximum antibreast cancer activity having IC(50) (the concentration of an individual compound leading to 50% inhibition) value 27.31 mg/ml against MCF-7 cell line. Significant percent inhibition (94.06%) in the MeOH extract of C. album (leaves) at 48 h of exposure and concentration 100 mg/ml (p < 0.05) against MCF-7 breast cancer cell line, indicates the presence of some structural moiety responsible for this observed antiproliferative effect. In vivo study and structural elucidation of its bioactive principle are in progress. Our findings highlight the potential of this plant for its possible clinical use to counteract malignancy development as antibreast cancer bioagent.