Cytotoxic and anti-proliferative activities of the Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit extract on ehrlich ascites tumor cells

Abstract

Background: Tetrapleura tetraptera fruit is widely used in Southern Nigeria for a range of pharmacological actions. Methodology/Principal Findings: In this study, the cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects of the ethanolic extract of fruit were studied in vitro and in vivo by using ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells and tumor modelling, respectively. Cytotoxic activity was determined by incubating the ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells with 0.1, 1, 10 and 100 µg mL-1 of the extract. In vivo study, 20, 40 and 80 mg kg-1 b.wt., doses of the extract was inoculated by intraperitoneal administration to mice following to carcinoma cells inoculation by same way. The extract was cytotoxic to carcinoma cells as assessed by both in vitro and in vivo experiments. Conclusion/Significance: The IC50 of the extract was found to be 250 µg mL-1. Results showed that the Tetrapleura tetraptera increased the life span of mice via reducing the number of the viable EAC cells, decreasing in ascites fluid volume and tumor burden. The DNA fragmentation assay also showed that it has a possible pro-apoptotic effect.