Evaluation of anti-leukemic activity of potentised Catharanthus roseus: An in-vitro study

Abstract

Alcoholic extract of potentised Catharanthus roseus (L.) G. Don. was evaluated for its anti-leukemic activity in in-vitro model. For this in- vitro study two cell lines namely, jurkat and K562 for promyelocytic leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia were used. The cell lines were grown in Roswell Park Memorial Institute Medium (RPMI 1640 medium) containing 10% fetal bovine serum and 2mM L-glutamine. Doxorubicin (Adriamycin, ADR) was used as positive control drug. Growth inhibition of 50 % (GI50) was calculated from [(test growth in the presence of drug at the four concentration levels Ti – time zero Tz)/( control growth C-Tz)] x 100 = 50], which is the drug concentration resulting in a 50% reduction in the net protein increase in control cells during the drug incubation. The drug concentration resulting in total growth inhibition (TGI) was calculated from Ti = Tz. The LC50 (concentration of drug resulting in a 50% reduction in the measured protein at the end of the drug treatment as compared to that at the beginning) indicating a net loss of cells following treatment is calculated from [(Ti-Tz)/Tz] x 100 = -50 in sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The Catharanthus roseus in 2X potency showed maximum anti-leukemic activity in molar drug concentration of 20 μg/ml on human leukemic cell line K562 for chronic myeloid leukemia.