<i>Andrographia paniculata</i> a Miracle Herbs for cancer treatment: <i>In vivo</i> and <i>in vitro</i> studies against Aflatoxin B1 Toxicity

Abstract

Background: The history of natural products used in ancient times and in folk medicine these days, around the world, is the basis for the use of many therapeutic drugs in modern day medicine. Andrographia paniculata belongs to the family Acanthaceae or Kalmegh and is commonly known as ‘king of bitters’. It is extensively used as home remedy for various diseases in Indian traditional system as well as in tribal system in India for multiple clinical applications.

Aim: In our present work, extracts of these ayurvedic plants were tested for their anticlastogenic, antimutagenic and anticarcinogenic properties against Aflatoxin B1 induced toxicity.

Materials and methods: We used the in vitro method i.e. human lymphocytes culture and in vivo method in bone marrow cells of albino mice, while the parameters studied included chromosomal aberrations (CA), sister chromatid exchanges (SCEs) and cell growth kinetics (RI) both in the presence as well as in the absence of exogenous metabolic activation system for in vitro studies, whereas total aberrant cells and the frequencies of aberrations were used for in vivo methods

Results: A. paniculata extracts significantly reduced chromosomal aberrations from 35.0%, 62.0% and 69.0% level [at 24, 48, and 72 h due to Aflatoxin B1] to 21.72%, 44.0% and 52.0%, similarly sister chromatid exchanges were reduced from 14.60 per cell to 7.50 per cell at 48 h of treatments and replication index was enhanced in vitro for each concentration and duration of treatment.

Conclusion: In conclusion A. paniculata extracts significantly reduced the number of aberrant cells and frequencies of aberration per cell at each concentration and duration of exposure in vivo; similarly it reduced chromosomal aberrations and sister chromatid exchanges and replication index was enhanced in vitro that was statistically significant at <0.05 level.

Keywords: Andrographia paniculata; Chromosomal aberration; Sister chromatid exchange; Replication index; Clastogeny