Cytotoxic effects of some animal and vegetable extracts and some chemicals on liver and colon carcinoma and myosarcoma

OBJECTIVE: To study, the cytotoxic effects of some biological and chemical agents on G1, S, G2, M and G0 phases of liver and colon carcinomas and myosarcoma cells obtained with chemical carcinogens dimethylbenzanthracene (DMBA) and cadmium chloride.

METHODS: Eight rabbit livers, colon carcinoma and myosarcoma cell lines were obtained by injection of DMBA in the Biology Laboratory, of the University of Dumlupinar, Kutahya, Turkey between January 2001 and June 2003. All lines were grown at 37degrees celsius and 5% carbon dioxide in sterile RPMI-1640 medium with 10% fetal bovine serum after addition of glutamate, penicillin (50 units/ml) and streptomycin (50 ug/ml) (complete medium). Cells were grown on standard tissue culture plastic flasks to 80% confluence and passed by trypsinization.

RESULTS: Tortoise (Testudo graeca) shell, sponge (Geodia cydonium), medusa (Aurelia aurita), meat flies (Calliphora erythrocephala) larva, frog (Rana ridibunda) larva and juniper (Juniperus communis) berry extracts killed a large amount of the liver and colon carcinomas and the myosarcoma cells in G2, M and G0 phases (p<0.01). The mistletoe (Viscum album) extract had more effect in only the G0 phase (p<0.05). Genistein, genistin, glycitein, glycitin, daitzein and daitzin have significantly decreased in the cancer cells tests, particularly, genistein and daitzein caused the apoptotic effect in G2, M and G0 phases (p<0.01). Cesium chloride, a mixture of cesium chloride with magnesium chloride had the most effect on tumor cells (p<0.01). AzhexSi, Azhex-AzhepSi, Et-Azhex-AzhepSi, AzhepSi, Hexamine and DL 54 have been inhibited in various levels of the cancer cells (p<0.05, p<0.01).

CONCLUSION: This data suggest that some biological extracts and chemicals tested may be useful chemotherapeutic agents to inhibit the growth of cancer cells. This study sheds some light for new anti cancerogenic experiments preventing various cancers on humans.