Acta Pharm. 62 (2012) 607-615
Short communication
Antitumour evaluation of di-(2-ethylhexyl)
phthalate (DEHP) isolated from Calotropis
gigantea L. flower
MUHAMMAD ROWSHANUL HABIB and MUHAMMAD REZAUL KARIM
rezaplazad@yahoo.com
Department of
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Science, Rajshahi University,
Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh
Accepted September 10, 2012
The objective of the study is to explore the anticancer activity of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) isolated from Calotropis gigantea flower against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma cells (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. The activity of DEHP was evaluated at doses of 10, 20 and 40 mg kg–1 body mass applied intraperitoneally. DEHP showed a significant decrease in viable cell count (p < 0.05), mass gain (due to tumour burden) and elevated the life span of EAC cell bearing mice. Altered hematological profiles such as RBC, hemoglobin, WBC and differential count were reverted to normal levels in DEHP-treated mice. DEHP also brought back altered biochemical parameters (glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, blood urea, SALP and SGOT) to normal level. Results of this study indicate that DEHP shows potent dose-dependent antitumour activity against EAC in vivo.
Keywords: Calotropis gigantea,
flower, di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, antitumour activity