Studies were initiated to explore the role of nucellus tissues and growth regulators in plantlets regeneration via somatic embryogenesis of Kinnow mandarin [Citrus reticulata L. (Blanco)]. Nucellus tissues were cultured on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations and combinations of auxins, cytokinins and malt extract for primary callus induction. The best response for primary callus induction (90%) was obtained when MS medium was supplemented with 5 mg/l 2,4-D and 500 mg/l malt extract. Best results for embryogenic callus induction (80%) were obtained in C8 medium. The induction of somatic embryos was highest when MS medium was supplemented with 1 mg/l BAP and maturation of somatic embryos occurred when MS medium was supplemented with 5 mg/l 2,4-D and 1 mg/l BAP. Maximum plantlets were regenerated (92%) from the somatic embryos on half strength MS medium with no hormones. The plantlets were successfully acclimatized in different potting mixtures and highest survival rate (100%) was achieved in potting mixture containing sand and peat moss (2:1).
Traditional medicines implicate consumption of plant crude extracts, which may consist of extensive phytochemical diversity. Overall, the most biologically active extract of
Peganum harmala
(seeds) exhibited significant cytotoxic activity on
Artemia salina
with LC
50
value of 61.547 µg/mL, while
P. harmala
(roots) [LC
50
= 124.229 µg/mL] and
M. azedarach
(fruits) [LC
50
= 147.813 µg/mL] showed moderate cytotoxic potential.
P. harmala
(seeds) extract also showed the maximum antitumor potential with 52.278 µg/mL LC
50
. Branches of
P. harmala
and
Morus alba
were not active in both bioassays. These outcomes were further reinforced by the levels of phenolics and flavonoids checked against gallic acid and quercetin equivalents, respectively, by standard curves. Current study aims to isolate, structurally characterize and analyze the bioactive compound from plant extracts by using chromatographic and spectrophotometric techniques. Bioactivity guided isolation of extracts led to the isolation of PH-HM-16 from ethyl acetate fraction
P. harmala
seeds. Chemical structure of PH-HM-16 was elucidated by ESI-MS,
1
H NMR,
13
C NMR, HSQC and IR spectrum. The results demonstrated significant positive anticancer activities against six human cancer cell lines assessed through MTT cancer cell growth inhibition assay. PH-HM-16 was most effective against prostate cancer cell lines [IC
50
= 17.63 µg/mL] followed by breast cancer cell line MCF7 [IC
50
value of 41.81 µg/mL]. IC
50
value of PH-HM-16 against human myeloid leukemia cell line HL-60 and human colorectal tumor cells HCT-116 was observed as 68.77 µg/mL and 71.54 µg/mL respectively. The IC 50 value of PH-HM-16 compound was not significant against human gastric cancer SGC-7901 (111.89 µg/mL) and human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line A549 (176.04 µg/mL). Isolated bioactive metabolite PH-HM-16 possesses significant antitumor potential so this could be the first step to develop an effective anticancer agent. Hence, this compound represents a promising potential to be chemically standardized or developed into pharmaceuticals for the chemoprevention and/or the treatment of certain types of cancer, especially as adjuvant phytotherapeutics in conventional chemotherapy.
Conventional cancer treatments normally involve chemotherapy or a combination of radio- and chemotherapy. However, the adverse effects of synthetic medicines encouraged the exploration of novel therapeutic medications of a bio-friendly nature. In an effort to explore anticancer compounds from natural resources, crude extract of Peganum harmala (seeds) was fractionated on the basis of polarity, and the fractions were further tested for anticancer activity. Brine shrimp lethality assays and potato disc antitumor assays were used to test each fraction for cytotoxic and antitumor potential. The ethyl acetate fraction was found to be most potent, with LC50 and IC50 values of 34.25 µg/mL and 38.58 µg/mL, respectively. Further activity-guided fractionation led to the isolation of the bioactive compound PH-HM-10 which was identified and characterized by Mass Spectroscopy (MS), Infrared Spectroscopy (IR), Proton Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1HNMR), Carbon Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (13CNMR) and Heteronuclear Single Quantum Correlation (HSQC). Anticancer aspects in the isolated compound were determined against six human cancer cell lines with a maximum anticancer effect (IC50 = 36.99 µg/mL) against the tested human myeloid leukemia (HL-60) cell line, followed by the human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line (A549) and the breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) with an IC50 of 63.5 µg/mL and 85.9 µg/mL, respectively). The findings of the current study suggest that the isolated compound (Pegaharmine E) is significantly active against the tested cancer cell lines and can be further investigated to develop future novel anticancer chemotherapeutic agents.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.