Studies on the anticancer effects of Cussia Fistula L

Abstract

The present study deals with the antitumour effects of methanolic extract of Cassia fistula L. The extract shows appreciable cytotoxic and antiproliferative effect on cultured cancer cell lines on MTT assay. The methanolic extract of C. fistula L. shows remarkable antitumour properties against murine models of cancer namely Dalton s Lymphoma Ascites and Ehlrich Ascites Carcinoma. The extract on administration increases the survival time of ascites tumour bearing animals, reduces the no. of viable tumour cells in the ascites fluid, and reduces the body weight of the treated animals, compared to the control animals. In the solid tumour bearing animals, the extract on intralesional route of administration, reduces the tumor volume and reduces the spleenic swelling. The extract also reverts the haematological parameters namely Hb, RBC, WBC, and DC to normal values which were significantly altered in the case of control animals. Similarly the extract is able to change the serum levels of hepatic enzymes namely SGPT, SGOT and SAKP which were altered in the control mice. The extract also has remarkable antioxidant properties. It also reduces the no. of papilloma (cumulative and average), increases the latency period and reduces the percentage of mice with papilloma in treated group as compared to control. The extract also induces apoptosis in cultured cancer cell lines as evidenced by DAPI assay, mitosensor assay and caspase assay.