In-vitro and In-vivo Antitumor Activity of Catharanthus roseus

Abstract

In the present study antitumor activity of Catharanthus roseus was evaluated using both in vitro and in vivo methods.
In vitro antitumor activity of different extracts (methanol, ethanol, chloroform, ethyl acetate and acetone) of Catharanthus roseus
was evaluated by the MTT assay method using MCF (breast cancer) cell lines. Then the Ethanolic Extract of Catharanthus roseus
(EECR) is subjected to in vivo antitumor activity using Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) tumor model. In in vitro study ethanolic
extract exhibited significant anti tumor activity. In in vivo study the potency of the extract was compared with standard drugs. Oral
administration of EECR at the dose 50 and 100 mg/kg significantly increase the life span and decrease the tumour volume and
cancer cell count of the tumor bearing mice. The result indicates that EECR possess significant anti tumor activity in both in vitro
and in vivo studies.