In vitro and in vivo evaluation of anticancer properties of clerodendrum indicum (L.) kuntze in colon cancer

Cancer has become a global burden currently. Although various treatment options exist today, there is still an urgent need for screening newer drugs owing to the fact that the chemotherapeutic agents have a huge and debilitating side effect profile and a risk of resistance to the existing drugs. The present study was aimed at evaluating the anticancer properties of Clerodendrum indicum both in vitro and in vivo. Root extract of the plant was prepared by soxhlet extraction method using ethanol after overnight maceration and then partitioned with petroleum ether (PEF) and ethyl acetate (EAF). Total flavonoid content was estimated in the fractions using quercetin as standard followed by HPLC characterization. PEF contained 300.37µg and EAF contained 235.14µg flavonoid equivalent to quercetin per mg of fraction. MTT assay was performed to evaluate the in vitro antiproliferative activity and the IC₅₀ values of EAF and PEF were found to be 72.83µg/ml and 31.33µg/ml respectively on HCT116 cell line. Apoptotic index was calculated to check the mode of cell death in the treated groups and the PEF fraction showed significant apoptotic index. Cell cycle analysis was carried out using flow cytometer to check the cell cycle specificity and the inhibition was specific to G₂/M phase. Dimethyl hydrazine induced in vivo model of colon cancer was used to investigate the activity of the fractions in vivo on male Wistar rats. The fractions showed no significant change in the hematological parameters. The study showed that the fractions exhibited cytotoxic properties both in vitro and in vivo.