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8306065 
Journal Article 
Anticancer and apoptosis induction properties of Apium graveolens seeds 
Karthikeyan, K; Ajikumaran Nair, S; Subramoniam, A 
2006 
0 
Biomedicine
ISSN: 0970-2067 
26 
3-4 
47-53 
English 
Based on traditional medicinal use Apium graveolens seed was selected to evaluate its anticancer property with special reference to apoptosis induction, if any. When the water, alcohol and hexane extracts of the dried powder of the plant seeds were tested for cytotoxicity to Dalton's Lymphoma Acitic (DLA) cells in vitro using Trypan blue method, only the n-hexane extract showed significant activity at 500 μg/ml level. The extract induced apoptosis as evidenced by morphological changes. The cytotoxicity of this extract was found to be more to cancer cells (DLA) compared to normal cells (thymocytes and macrophages). An active chloroform fraction was separated from this extract. The active fraction at a dose of 200 mg/kg protected 75 % of the mice challenged with 1 X 106 DLA cells whereas all untreated control mice died of cancer. Thin Layer Chromatography (TLC) on silica gel further separated this anticancer fraction into 2 cytotoxic components. One of them was identified as a steroid positive component whereas the other was an alkaloid positive component. The steroid component induced apoptotic cell death while the other component induced necrotic cell death. These components are attractive materials for further studies leading to possible anti-cancer drug development. © Publication of Indian Association of Biomedical Scientists. 
Anticancer; Apium graveolens; Apoptosis; Dalton's lymphoma ascetic