Research Journal of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics

A mixture of Xanthine, Xanthone and Xanthosine isolated from the root of Xanthium strumarium L exhibited antitumor activities against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma in Swiss albino mice. Animals were pre-treated orally with the extract at a dose of 200mg/kg, 25 and 50mg/kg body weight for isolated compounds of chloroform extract and then after 24hrs EAC (at a dose of 2x10⁶ cells/mouse) administration and following an 18hr fasting; mice were sacrificed for studying of antitumor activity. The decrement of tumor volume, packed cell volume and viable cell count were observed in both lignans and isolated compounds of chloroform extract treated animals and compared with only EAC tumor bearing mice. Treatment with test compounds increased the survival time and normal peritoneal cell count. Hematological parameters, PCV which were altered by tumor volume inoculation, were restored considerably. Thus, this study was an attempt to evaluate the preventive and curative role of X. strumarium lignans in tumor bearing mice.