In vitro and in vivo anti-melanoma effects of Daphne gnidium aqueous extract via activation of the immune system

The purpose of this study was to assess the antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of the aqueous extract from Daphne gnidium in mice-bearing melanoma tumor. Balb/C mice were subcutaneously implanted with B16-F10 cells and treated intraperitoneally with the aqueous extract at 200 mg/Kg b.w for 21 days. After euthanization on day 22, the tumors were weighed; lymphocyte proliferation, cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL), and natural killer (NK) cell activities were evaluated using the MTT assay. Macrophage phagocytosis was studied by measuring the lysosomal activity. In addition to its potential to inhibit the growth of the transplantable tumor, the aqueous extract remarkably induced splenocyte proliferation and both NK and CTL activities in tumor-bearing mice. The aqueous extract was also seen to have promoted lysosomal activity of host macrophages

Antioxidant, genotoxic and antigenotoxic activities of daphne gnidium leaf extracts

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Plants play a significant role in maintaining human health and improving the quality of human life. They serve humans well as valuable components of food, as well as in cosmetics, dyes, and medicines. In fact, many plant extracts prepared from plants have been shown to exert biological activity <it>in vitro</it> and <it>in vivo</it>. The present study explored antioxidant and antigenotoxic effects of <it>Daphne gnidium</it> leaf extracts.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The genotoxic potential of petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and total oligomer flavonoid (TOF) enriched extracts from leaves of <it>Daphne gnidium</it>, was assessed using <it>Escherichia coli</it> PQ37. Likewise, the antigenotoxicity of the same extracts was tested using the “SOS chromotest test”. Antioxidant activities were studied using non enzymatic and enzymatic method: NBT/Riboflavine and xantine oxidase.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>None of the different extracts produced a genotoxic effect, except TOF extract at the lowest tested dose. Our results showed that <it>D. gnidium</it> leaf extracts possess an antigenotoxic effect against the nitrofurantoin a mutagen of reference. Ethyl acetate and TOF extracts were the most effective in inhibiting xanthine oxidase activity. While, methanol extract was the most potent superoxide scavenger when tested with the NBT/Riboflavine assay.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The present study has demonstrated that <it>D. gnidium</it> leaf extract possess antioxidant and antigenotoxic effects. These activities could be ascribed to compounds like polyphenols and flavonoid. Further studies are required to isolate the active molecules.</p