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ABSTRACT
The present investigation was carried out to investigate the anti-tumor activity,
Antioxidant activity of the ethanolic extract of Amorphophallus Paeonifolius tubers against 7,12-
dimethyl benz (a) anthracene (DMBA) induced mammary tumour in rats.The Pharmacognostic
and Phytochemical studies over Amorphophallus Paeonifolius were studied first and the anti-
oxidant activity of the same were studied In-vitro and In-vivo methods finally the plant extract
was evaluated for mammary tumour activity by chemical induced tumour.The results shows total
Flavanoids compound in Ethanolic tuber extract of Amorphophallus Paeonifolius was found to
be 8.8 g/100g calculated as Quercetin equivalent, effect of Ethanolic extract on RBC, WBC, Hb
& Neutrophils as a-P< 0.001,b-P<0.01,c-P<0.05, ns-non significant, Effect of AP-extract on
tumor latency and tumour burden were found as extremely significant at P<0.001. One-way
ANOVA Tukey method was followed for statistics. It was concluded that ethanolic extract of
Amorphophallus Paeonifolius has shown significant antitumor and antioxidant effect in animals.
Keywords: Amorphophallus Paeonifolius, Anti-Oxidant, Mammary tumour
1. INTRODUCTION cancerous). Cancer affects people at all ages
Cancer is a class of diseases in which with the risk for most types increasing with
a group of cells display uncontrolled growth age. Cancer caused about 15% of all human
(division beyond the normal limits), deaths in 2009. Breast cancer can begin in
invasion (intrusion on and destruction of different areas of the breast – the ducts, the
adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis lobules, or in some cases, the tissue in between.
(spread to other locations in the body via There are many different types of breast cancer,
lymph or blood). These three malignant with different stages (spread), aggressiveness,
properties of cancers differentiate them from and genetic makeup; survival varies greatly
benign tumors, which are self-limited, and depending on those factors. [3]
do not invade or metastasis. [1, 2] Tumors can It is significant that over 60% of
be malignant (cancerous) or benign (non currently used anti-cancer agents are derived in
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one way or another from natural sources, colic constipation, helminthiasis hepatopathy,
including plants, marine organisms and splenopathy, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea,
micro-organisms. Indeed, these sources have seminal weakness, fatigue, anemia and general
played, and continue to play, a dominant debility. [5- 8]
role in the discovery of leads for the 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS
treatment of most human diseases. [3]
Plant materials [tubers] were locally
The search for anticancer agents collected and authenticated by Botanical
from plant sources started in 1950s with the Survey of India (BSI), Southern circle,
discovery and development of vinca Coimbatore, Tamilnadu
alkaloids, vincristine, vinblastine and the
isolation of cytotoxic podophyllotoxin. 2.1 Extraction of tuber of Amorphophallus
These discoveries in turn lead to discovery paeonifolius
of taxanes and camptothecins but their The tuber of Amorphophallus
development into clinically active agent Paeonifolius was cut into pieces of around 5
spanned period of 30 years from 1960s to mm, shade dried and ground to powder. 300
1990s.[4,5] gm of powdered tuber was extracted with
The plant Amorphophallus petroleum ether to remove fatty material for 10
paeonifolius (AP) synonym cycles. The material was air dried and then
Amorphophallus campanulatus belongs to extracted with chloroform as said above, the
the family of Araceae Elephant foot yam is tuber material was subjected to dry and finally
basically a crop of Southeast Asian origin. It ethanolic extraction was done. The extract were
grows in wild form in the Philippines, concentrated to dryness and stored in vaccum
Malaysia, Indonesia, and other Southeast dessicator.
Asian countries. In India it is grown mostly 2.2 Phytochemical analysis of ethanolic
in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and extracts of Amorphophallus Paeonifolius
Orissa. A stout herbaceous plant""with
The photochemical analysis of the plant
underground hemispherical depressed dark with standard chemical tests was shown that
brown corm; leaves compound, large,
extract contains alkaloids, glycosides,
solitary, petiole stout, mottled, 60-90 cm carbohydrates , steroids and sterols, Tannins,
long, leaflets 5-12.5 cm long of variable
proteins, peptides or amino acids and aromatic
width and the corms contain betulinic acid, amino acid
ß-sitosterol, stigmasterol, triacontane and ß-
sitosterol palmitate. Besides these, glucose, 2.2.1. Determination of Total Flavanoids
galactose, rhamnose and exylose are also Flavones and flavanols in the ethanolic
present. The corms are irritant due to the extracts of Amorphophallus Paeonifolius were
composition of arginine, histidine, leucine, estimated as Quercetin equivalent. Quercetin
isoleucine, lysine, methionine, was used to make the calibration curve [10, 20,
phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 and 100μg/ml in
valine. 99.9% ethanol (v/v)]. The standard solutions or
They are useful in vitiated conditions extracts (0.5 ml) were mixed with 1.5 ml of
of vata and kapha, rthralgia, ephantiasis, 95% ethanol (v/v), 0.1 ml of 10% aluminium
tumours, inflammations, haemorrhoids, chloride, 0.1 ml of 1 mol/l sodium acetate and
haemorrhages, vomiting, cough, onchitis, 2.8 ml water. The volume of 10% aluminum
asthma, anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence, chloride was substituted by the same volume of
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distilled water in blank. After incubation at trichloroaceticacid (10%w/v) was added to the
room temperature for 30 min, the mixture, which was then centrifuged for 10 min
absorbance of the reaction mixture was at 1000rpm. The 2.5 ml of supernatant was
measured at 415 nm. The mean of three mixed with distilled water (2.5ml) and Fecl3
readings was used and the total Flavanoids (0.5ml, 0.1% w/v), and mixed. Absorbance was
content was expressed in milligrams of measured at 700nm in a spectrophotometer.
Quercetin equivalents 190.2 mg/g extract. Higher absorbance of the reaction mixture
The coefficient of determination was indicated greater reductive potential.
r2 = 0.9985. [9] 2.3.3. Superoxide anion scavenging activity
2.3. In vitro anti-oxidant activity assay
The in vitro anti-oxidant activity of The scavenging activity of
the extract was done by various available Amorphophallus Paeonifolius towards
methods as follows superoxide anion radicals was measured by the
2.3.1. DPPH (Diphenylpicrylhydrazyl) method of Ni-shimiki et al.,(1972). [12] and
Radical scavenging activity slightly modified. About 1ml of nitroblue
tetrazolium solution (156µm in 100Mm
The scavenging activity of phosphate buffer, pH 7.4) and 0.1ml of
Amorphophallus Paeonifolius extract was different concentrations of extract and standard
measured in terms of hydrogen donating or in water were mixed. The reaction was initiated
radical scavenging ability using the stable by adding 100µl of
radical DPPH Blois et al., (1958).[10] 0.1Mm phenazinemethosulphate(PMS) solution
solution of DPPH in ethanol was prepared (60µM) in 100Mm phosphate buffer(pH7.4) to
and 1.0ml of this solution was added to 3 ml the mixture. The reaction mixture was
of extract solution and standard in water at incubated at room temperature for 5 min and
different concentrations (10-100µg/ml). 30 the absorbance at 560nm was measured against
min later absorbance was measured at reagent blank in spectrophotometer. (Quercetin
517nm. Lower absorbance of the reaction was used as standard).
mixture indicated higher free radical
scavenging activity. The capability to 2.3.4. ABTS radical scavenging activity
scavenge the DPPH radical was calculated assay
using the following equation The ABTS radical scavenging activity
of the extract was measured by Rice-Evans
et.al. (1997).[13]ABTS radical cation (ABTS+)
was produced by reacting ABTS solution
(7mm) with 2.45 Mm ammonium persulphate
2.3.2. Reducing power and the mixture were allowed to stand in dark
The reductive potential of the extract at room temperature for 12-16hrs before use.
was determined according to the method of Different concentration (20-100µg/ml) of
Oyaizu et al., (1986).[11] The different ethanolic extract and standard (0.5ml) were
concentration of extracts and standard in added to 0.3ml of ABTS solution and the
1ml of distilled water was mixed with ethanol to make 1ml. Quercetin was used as
phosphate buffer (2.5ml, 0.2m, pH6.6) and standard. The absorbance was read at 745nm.
potassium ferricyanide [K3 Fe(CN)6] The experiment was performed in triplicate.
(2.5ml,1% w/v). The mixture was incubated 2.4. Pharmacological Evaluation
at 50oC for 20min.2.5ml of
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2.4.1. Acute toxicity Studies acetic acid were mixed in 1:3 ratio). Then the
Healthy adult Wistar albino mice of absorbance was read at 620nm; CAT activity
either sex, starved overnight were divided was expressed as µMol of H2O2
into five groups (n=6) and were orally fed consumed/min/mg protein.
with the Ethanolic extract of 2.5.1.2. Estimation of Superoxide dismutase
Amorphophallus Paeonifolius in increasing (SOD) Activity
dose levels of 100, 500, 1000, 2000mg/kg The activity of superoxide dismutase
body weight respectively and they were was assayed by the method of Kakkar
observed for behavioral, neurological and et.al..(1984).[15] Breifly in a test tube; 0.5ml of
autonomic profiles and after a period of 24 supernatant tissue homogenate was taken. To
and 72 hr they were observed for any this 1.5ml of carbonate buffer(pH10.2),0.5ml of
lethality. 0.1Mm EDTA and 0.4ml of epinephrine was
2.4.2. Induction of cancer added and the OD was taken at
The cancer was inducted by using 480nm.Epinephrine was added just before
chemical induction method using 7, 12- taking the OD. This activity is to be expressed
Dimethyl Benz (A) Anthracene(DMBA) as units/min/mg protein.
DMBA was purchased from sigma 2.5.1.3. Estimation of Glutathione
chemicals, Mumbai, India. 120 mg DMBA peroxidase (GPx) Activity
was dissolved in 24 ml olive oil. It forms a GPx activity was measured by method
yellow colour solution. DMBA solution was described by Rotruck et.al.(1973).[16] Briefly,
given to animals orally with the help of oral the reaction mixture contained 0.2ml 0.4M
feeding needle at a dose of 25 mg/kg. Phosphate buffer (pH7), 0.1ml 10Mm sodium
2.5. In-vivo anti-oxidant activity azide, 0.2ml tissue homogenized in 0.4M
All the experimental animals were Phosphate buffer(pH7), 0.2ml glutathione, and
killed by cervical decapitation after the 0.1ml 0.2Mm H2O2. The contents were
experimental period. For the estimation of incubated for 10min at 37o C, 0.4ml 10% TCA
non-enzymic and enzymic antioxidants, was added to stop the reaction and centrifuged
tissue (liver and kidney) was minced and at 3200 rpm for 20min.The supernatant was
homogenized (10% w/v) in 0.1 M phosphate assayed for glutathione content using Ellman’s
buffer (Ph 7.0) and centrifuged for 10 min reagent(19.5g 5,5’-dithiobisnitrobenzoic acid
and the resulting supernatant was used for (DTNB) in 100ml 0.1% sodium citrate). The
enzyme assays. activity is to be expressed as µMol of GSH
consumed/min/mg protein.
2.5.1. Enzymatic Anti-oxidant activity
2.5.2. Non-enzymatic anti-oxidant activity
2.5.1.1. Estimation of catalase activity
2.5.2.1. Estimation of reduced glutathione
Catalase activity was measured by (GSH) activity
method described by Sinha et.al.(1972).[14]
The reaction mixture (1.5ml, vol) contained GSH was determined by the method of
1.0ml of 0.01M phosphate buffer (pH7.0), Ellman et al., (1959). [17] A known weight of
0.1ml of tissue homogenate and 0.4ml of tissue homogenized in phosphate buffer from
2M H2O2.The reaction was stopped by the this 0.5ml was pipetted out and precipitated
addition of 2.0ml of dichromate-acetic acid with 2ml of 5% TCA 1ml of the supernatant
reagent (5% pot. dichromate and glacial was taken after centrifugation at 3200 rpm for
20min and added to it 0.5ml of Ellman’s
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properties of the extract may be due to these of DPPH was determined by the decrease in its
compounds. absorbance at 517 nm, which is induced by
DPPH is a stable free radical at room anti-oxidants. On the DPPH radical, AP extract
temperature and accepts an electron or significant scavenging effects when compared
hydrogen radical to become a stable dia- with that Quercetin.(table 1)
magnetic molecule .The reduction capability
In ABTS scavenging activity the of ABTS+ in the present study reflects the
extract tend to possess significant capacity of an antioxidant species to donate
scavenging activity in comparison to electrons or hydrogen atoms to inactivate this
Quarcetin. The decolorization of ABTS+ radical cation.(table 2)
radical is an unambiguous way to measure Indirect stimulation of lipid oxidation
the antioxidant activity of phenolic by superoxide as a result of superoxide acts as
compounds. The determination of phenolic precursors of singlet oxygen radical. This free
antioxidant using the oxygen radical radical responsible for cellular damages and
absorbance capacity (ORAC), ABTS+ and oxidative degradation of macromolecules. The
the 1, 1-diphenyl 2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging effect of AP extract and Quercetin
assays. Thus monitoring the antioxidant on superoxide radical was compared. On the
activity by ABTS+ radical scavenging assay superoxide radical, AP extract has significant
gives good prediction of their ORAC and scavenging effects when compared with that
DPPH radical scavenging capacity. AP Quercetin.
Extract. showed potential activity in ABTS+
decolorization. 73% inhibition was noted The acute toxicity studies revealed the
with 100μg/ml of AP extract. Decolorization non-toxic nature of the ethanolic extract of AP
up to higher concentration of 2000mg/kg, there
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was no lethality or any toxic reaction found The result of the study have shown that
with the selected dose until the end of the the ethanolic extract of AP at a dose of 50
study period. The dose of the test drug has mg/kg and 100 mg /kg has a marked significant
been selected on the basis of dose on DMBA mammary carcinoma rats.
calibration curve.
Estimation of
Liver 317.4±70 287.9±10a 443.7±27.8 a 602.5±21.21 a 483.3±29.63 a
Catalase Activity
Kidney 279.13±37.55 189.4±38.11a 540.78±30.8 a 717.69±33.9 a 827.02±22.88 a
Estimation of Liver 40.84±8.56 4.22±2.31a 31.63±3.35 a 53.42±4.02 a 63.82±7.17 a
Superoxide a b ns
Kidney 36.6±5.92 16.35±1.85 30.29±3.36 24.22±9.20 73.41±1.28 a
Dismutase (SOD)
Activity
Estimation of Liver 206.04±28.88 97.41±11.7a 132.64±43.89 a 290.66±17.09 a 230.94±8.27 a
Glutathione
Kidney 269.71±11.47 87.37±13.12a 227.23±39.98 a 260.45±36.80 a 291.59±6.00 a
peroxidase (GPx)
activity
Non-enzymatic antioxidant activity
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a-P< 0.001, b-P<0.01,c-P<0.05, ns-non significant consequent to tumor inoculation. The present
Data was expressed as mean ±SD. (n=6 study reveals that the extract was cytotoxic
animals in each group). Values were statistically towards DMBA induced tumour.
extremely significant at P<0.001.
The values of RBC and Haemoglobin
The analysis of the hematological were slightly lower in the DMBA treated group
parameters(table 4) doesn’t showed toxic than in the other experimental groups,
effect in rats treated with Amorphophallus indicating a tendency to anemia. On the other
Paeonifolius alone, where as in the hand, the number of WBC was considerable
experimental study, Amorphophallus increased. The number of Neutrophils was also
Paeonifolius extract was able to reverse the significantly higher in the DMBA group,
changes in the hematological parameters
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