Anti-inflammatory and anticancer compounds isolated from Ventilago madraspatana Gaertn., Rubia cordifolia Linn. and Lantana camara Linn.

OBJECTIVE

The aim was to search for anti-inflammatory and anticancer compounds from three medicinal plants, viz. Ventilago madraspatana Gaertn., Rubia cordifolia Linn. and Lantana camara Linn.

METHODS

The NO* scavenging potential of selected plant extracts was determined on LPS/IFN-gamma activated murine peritoneal macrophage cultures, and iNOS and COX-2 expression was evaluated by Western blot analysis. Bio-assay guided fractionation yielded four compounds: physcion and emodin from V. madraspatana, 1-hydroxytectoquinone from R. cordifolia, and oleanonic acid from L. camara. The anti-inflammatory activity of these compounds was tested through the carrageenan-induced rat-paw oedema model. They were then tested against a murine tumour (Ehrlich ascites carcinoma), and three human cancer cell lines, namely A375 (malignant skin melanoma), Hep2 (epidermoid laryngeal carcinoma) and U937 (lymphoma).

RESULTS

All four compounds dose dependently inhibited NO* through suppression of iNOS protein without affecting macrophage viability. Physcion and emodin caused 65-68% reduction of oedema volume at 40 mg/kg, which validated their in-vivo anti-inflammatory effect. 1-Hydroxytectoquinone and oleanonic acid exhibited promising cytotoxicity against A375 cells.

CONCLUSIONS

Ethnomedical reports on these traditional medicinal plants have been rationalised through an insight into the anti-inflammatory as well as anticancer potential of four constituents, characterised to be prospective candidates for designing novel therapeutic agents.