The triterpenoid fraction from Trichosanthes dioica root exhibits antiproliferative activity against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in albino mice: involvement of possible antioxidant role.

The present study assessed the triterpenoid fraction from T dioica root (CETD) for antiproliferative effect and antioxidant influence against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. Twenty-four hours after intraperitoneal inoculation of tumor (EAC) cells in mice, CETD was administered at 2 and 4 mg/ kg body weight daily for 9 consecutive days. On the 10th day, half of the mice were sacrificed for estimation of tumor proliferation, haematological, and hepatic antioxidative parameters viz. lipid peroxidation, reduced glutathione (GSH), glutathione-S-transferase (GST), superoxide dismutase(SOD)and catalase (CAT); the rest were kept alive for assessment of survival parameters. The antiproliferative effect of CETD was assessed by evaluating tumor weight, tumor volume, packed cell volume, viable and non-viable tumor cell counts, mean survival time and percentage increase in life span of EAC-bearing mice. CETD exhibited dose dependent and significant (p < 0.001) decreases in tumor weight, tumor volume, packed cell volume and viable cell count and extended the life span of EAC-bearing mice. Hematological profiles were significantly (p < 0.001) normalized in CETD treated mice as compared to EAC control. CETD treatment significantly (p < 0.001) modulated the aforementioned hepatic antioxidative parameters as compared to EAC control. The present study demonstrated that CETD possessed promising antiproliferative efficacy against EAC in mice, plausibly mediated by alleviation of oxidative stress by multiple mechanisms.