Anticancer activity of Berberis aristata in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma-bearing mice: a preliminary study

Berberis aristata DC (Berberidaceae) is an important medicinal plant with claims of widespread medicinal value in indigenous medicine. It is used by herbal healers to treat oral cancers.

To evaluate the antineoplastic activity of the extracts of Berberis aristata in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-bearing mice with cisplatin as positive control in the advanced stage of tumorigenesis.

Brine shrimp lethality bioassay (BSL) of extracts and effect on the tumor cell viability in vitro were carried out. EAC was induced in Swiss albino mice by injecting 10(6) cell/mL of tumor cell suspension i.p. Antineoplastic activity of the aqueous and ethanol extracts (100 and 6.5 mg/kg i.p., respectively) was compared with that of cisplatin (3.5 mg/kg i.p.) on the parameters such as percentage increase in weight, median survival time, and hematology.

Ethanol extract attenuated percentage increase in weight gain (-6.86 ± 1.50) due to tumor cell proliferation and increased the survival time (19.5 days) when compared to control group (19.10 ± 2.31 and 16 days, respectively). However, the effect was less than that of cisplatin. In vitro cytotoxicity assay as well as BSL test showed the cytotoxic effect of the extracts. Cisplatin and the extracts reversed the tumor-induced alterations in total white blood cell count, differential leukocyte counts, total red blood cell count, and hemoglobin contents.

Of the two extracts, the ethanol extract was observed to be more efficient and the presence of alkaloids and flavonoids may be responsible for the observed anticancer effects.