ABSTRACT:
PURPOSE-The objective of present study is to explore the anticancer activity of the Ethanolic Extract of the Maytenus emarginata (EEME) in Swiss albino mice against Ehrlich ascites Carcinoma (EAC) cell-line. METHOD-The dose of 100 and 200 mg/kg body weight EEME was administeredintra-peritoneally for nine consecutive days. Twenty-four hours of last dose and 18hrs of fasting, the mice were sacrificed and antitumor effect of EEME was assessed by evaluating tumor volume, viable and non-viable tumor cell count, tumor weight and hematological parameters of EAC bearing host. RESULTS-EEME showed significant decrease in (p<0.01) tumor volume, viable cell count, tumor weight and elevated the life span of EAC tumor bearing mice. Hematological profile such as RBC, hemoglobin, WBC and lymphocyte count reverted to normal level in EEME treated mice. CONCLUSION-From the result it was showed that the extract has potent dose dependent anticancer activity and that is comparable to that of 5-fluorouracil.