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  • Inhibition of Human Cervical Cancer Cell Growth by Ethanolic Extract of Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. (Punarnava) Root.

Inhibition of Human Cervical Cancer Cell Growth by Ethanolic Extract of Boerhaavia diffusa Linn. (Punarnava) Root.

Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine : eCAM (2011-08-27)
Rakhi Srivastava, Daman Saluja, Bilikere S Dwarakanath, Madhu Chopra
ABSTRACT

In Indian traditional medicine, Boerhaavia diffusa (punarnava) roots have been widely used for the treatment of dyspepsia, jaundice, enlargement of spleen, abdominal pain and as an anti-stress agent. Pharmacological evaluation of the crude ethanolic extract of B. diffusa roots has been shown to possess antiproliferative and immunomodulatory properties. The extract of B. diffusa was studied for anti-proliferative effects on the growth of HeLa cells and for its effect on cell cycle. Bio-assays of extracts from B. diffusa root showed that a methanol : chloroform fraction (BDF 5) had an antiproliferative effect on HeLa cells. After 48 h of exposure, this fraction at a concentration of 200 μg mL(-1) significantly reduced cell proliferation with visible morphological changes in HeLa cells. Cell cycle analysis suggests that antiproliferative effect of BDF 5 could be due to inhibition of DNA synthesis in S-phase of cell cycle in HeLa cells, whereas no significant change in cell cycle was detected in control cells. The fraction BDF 5 caused cell death via apoptosis as evident from DNA fragmentation and caspase-9 activation. Thus the extract has potential to be evaluated in detail to assess the molecular mechanism-mediated anticancer activities of this plant.

MATERIALS
Product Number
Brand
Product Description

Sigma-Aldrich
Propidium iodide, ≥94% (HPLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Penicillin-Streptomycin, Solution Stabilized, with 5,000 units penicillin and 5mg streptomycin/mL, 0.1 μm filtered, BioReagent, suitable for cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Dulbecco′s Modified Eagle′s Medium, Without glucose, L-glutamine, phenol red, sodium pyruvate and sodium bicarbonate, powder, suitable for cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Propidium iodide, ≥94.0% (HPLC)
Sigma-Aldrich
Penicillin-Streptomycin, with 10,000 units penicillin and 10 mg streptomycin per mL in 0.9% NaCl, 0.1 μm filtered, BioReagent, suitable for cell culture
Sigma-Aldrich
Penicillin-Streptomycin, Solution stabilized, with 10,000 units penicillin and 10 mg streptomycin/mL, 0.1 μm filtered, BioReagent, suitable for cell culture
SAFC
Glasgow′s Modified Eagle′s Medium