Pharmacognostic Evaluation of Semecarpus anacardium L. for its Anticancer Properties using In silico, In vitro and In vivo Approaches

Abstract

Plants are extremely valuable and used by people to cure many diseases for a long time. The present study was conducted to evaluate the anticancer properties of S. anacardium nut using In Silico, In vitro and In vivo Approaches. The study was conducted in four distinct phases. In phase 1, qualitative phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of phyto constituents namely alkaloids, carbohydrates, flavonoids, tannins, terpenoids and phenols. In the free radical scavenging assay, the highest scavenging efficacy of DPPH, ABTS and reducing power assay were 85.73%, 80.55% and 70.38% at 60 and#956;g/ml. Among the four extracts analysed ethanol extract of Semecarpus anacardium nut (EESA) exhibited the high intense of phytochemicals and highest scavenging ability. Therefore, ethanol extract was utilized for further studies. The antioxidant levels of the ethanol extract was determined by estimating enzymic (Peroxidase and Superoxide dismutase) and non-enzymic (and#945;-tocopherol and total phenols) antioxidants in which peroxidase showed highest level of activity (87.33±2.41 and#956;g/ml). Of the three non-enzymic antioxidants, the level of phenol was found to be maximum (93.36 ± 4.27 mg/g). newlineIn phase II, GCMS analysis revealed the presence of 20 compounds from 20 peaks which were further subjected to molecular docking analysis against apoptotic proteins by using Auto dock 4.2.8. In phase III, the antiproliferative indices of MCF-7 cells showed a dose dependent decrease in cell viability with IC50 values of EESA 61 ± 1.0 and#956;g/ml. The effect of EESA on the regulation of protein expression and apoptotic gene expression revealed the up regulation of pro-apoptotic proteins including Caspase-3, p53, Cytochrome c, and a critical down-regulation in the expression of anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2. In phase IV, the antitumor properties of S. anacardium nuts was assessed using Daltons Ascites Lymphoma bearing Swiss albino mice model. Body weight, tumor weight, various haematological, biochemical parameters and antioxidant parameters were analysed.