Apoptotic and Antiproliferative Effects of Mimusops elengi Leaf Extract in Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Cells

Context: Mimusops elengi Linn. (Sapotaceae) is commonly known as bakul. Traditionally, the various parts of the plants have been used in the treatment of wound healing, pain, and tumor.

Objective: To evaluate the role of Mimusops elengi extract (MEE) on proliferation, apoptosis, and bcl2 gene expression in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells lines and establish the possible mechanisms linked with anticancer activity.

Settings and Design: EAC cells were treated with methanol MEE (20–400 μg/mL) in time intervals of 24, 48, and 72 h.

Materials and Methods: The antiproliferative effect of extract was evaluated using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay; deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) fragmentation study, cell cycle analysis, and Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) assay were performed to assess the apoptosis, and lastly, western blotting study was performed to assess the bands intensities using the ImageJ® analysis (a Java-based image processing program system, National Institutes of Health and the Laboratory for Optical and Computational Instrumentation, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI).

Statistical Analysis Used: The data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance followed by the Dunnett’s post hoc test.

Results: MEE shows significant antiproliferative effect on EAC cell lines. In the DNA fragmentation assay, it shows significant fragmentation of DNA. In the cell cycle analysis and Annexin V-FITC assay, there was arrested in sub-G1 phase and initiation of cell apoptosis. In western blotting study, the extract shows low expression of bcl-2 and overexpression of Bax proteins.

Conclusions: From the above result, it concludes that MEE has significant apoptosis-inducing properties.