Background The in vivo anticancer effect of the Trema orientalis leaves crude
methanol extract (
TLME) was screened against Ehrlich
ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. Materials and methods The cytotoxic activity of
TLME was determined in vitro by the
3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The growth inhibitory activity and morphological alterations were determined by the hemocytometer counting of the EAC cells using
trypan blue dye. The apoptotic cells were assessed by
DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining. The hematological and biochemical parameters of experimental mice were also estimated. Results
After treatment with the
TLME, the viable
tumor cell count, morphological changes and nuclear damages of the EAC cells were observed along with the hematological parameters of the experimental mice. The LD50 of
TLME was 3120.650 mg/kg
body weight, and this extract was proven to be safe at a dose of as high as 800 mg/kg
body weight. The
oral administration of the
TLME at 400 mg/kg
body weight resulted in approximately 59%
tumor cell growth inhibition compared with the control mice, with considerable apoptotic features, including membrane blebbing,
chromatin condensation, nuclear fragmentation and aggregation of the apoptotic bodies in
DAPI staining under a fluorescence microscope. The
TLME also dose-dependently restored the altered hematological parameters to approximately normal levels. The
TLME exhibited bolstering cytotoxic effect against the EAC cell with the IC50 value of 29.952 ± 1.816 μg/mL. Conclusion The
TLME has potential as a natural anti-
cancer product with apoptosis induction property and cytotoxicity against
carcinoma cells.