Asif Lalee, Pinaki Pal, Bolay Bhattacharaya, Amalesh Samanta
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of both ethanolic and aqueous extracts of Aerva sanguinolenta (Family: Amaranthaceae) by intraperitoneal route to Ehrlich ascites tumor bearing mice. After determination of acute toxicity [LD50 = 2250mg/kg body weight which was given through i.p. route] of the plant extract on Swiss albino mice. The protocol started with tumor inoculation of 2x106 cells i.p. After 24 hrs of tumor inoculation, ethanolic, aqueous extracts and vinblastine (standard drug) were administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 200 and 400mg/kg body weight of extracts and 1mg/kg body weight of vinblastine. After treatment of nine consecutive days and after 24-hours of last dose and 18-hours fasting, half of the animals in each group were weighed and sacrificed on the 10th day. i.p. fluid was collected for viable (cancer) and nonviable (dead) cell count, intraperitoneal fluid volume and packed cell volume and blood was collected by heart puncturing for determination of hemoglobin concentration, RBC count, and WBC count respectively. Half of the remaining animal groups were kept for survival time (days) determination. Ethannolic extract produced remarkable reduction in number of viable cells (p<0.01) and increased the percentage of life span. From the result it was find out that the ethanolic extract of the plant has potent dose dependent antitumor activity and that is comparable to that of vinblastine.
