Evaluation of antitumor activity and in vivo antioxidant status of Anthocephalus cadamba on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma treated mice

Anthocephalus cadamba (Roxb.) Miq. (Family: Rubiaceae) is commonly known as “Kadamba” in Sanskrit and Hindi in India. Various parts of this plant have been used as a folk medicine for the treatment of tumor, wound healing, inflammation and as a hypoglycemic agent. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the antitumor activity and antioxidant status of defatted methanol extract of A. cadamba (MEAC) on Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) treated mice. In vitro cytotoxicity assay has been evaluated by using the trypan blue method. The determination of in vivo antitumor activity was performed by using different EAC cells (2×106 cells, i.p.) inoculated mice groups (n=12). The groups were treated for 9 consecutive days with MEAC at the doses of 200 and 400mg/kg b.w. respectively. After 24h of last dose and 18h of fasting, half of the mice were sacrificed and the rest were kept alive for assessment of increase in life span. The antitumor potential of MEAC was assessed by evaluating tumor volume, viable and nonviable tumor cell count, tumor weight, hematological parameters and biochemical estimations. Furthermore, antioxidant parameters were assayed by estimating liver and kidney tissue enzymes. MEAC showed direct cytotoxicity on EAC cell line in a dose dependant manner. MEAC exhibited significant (P