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alliedacademies
Page 28
Allied J Med Res 2017
Volume 1 Issue 2
September 01-02, 2017 London, UK
3rd International Conference and Expo on
Herbal & Alternative Medicine
Notes:
Herbal Medicine 2017
Anticancer effects of Strobilanthes crispus
in experimental breast cancer
L imited efficacy and concerns over toxicity of
chemotherapeutic drugs have contributed to the
worldwide increase in the use of herbal products by
cancer patients. Natural products have always been
an unrivalled source of anticancer therapeutics due
to their seemingly compatible biological activities. We
investigated the anticancer activities of a native plant,
Strobilanthes crispus, valued for its traditional medicinal
use. A number of studies demonstrated that S. crispus
crude extracts are cytotoxic to cancer cell lines. We
showed that a bioactive sub-fraction of S. crispus leaves
(SCS) induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of human
breast cancer cell lines. The mechanism involves
perturbation of mitochondrial function and modulation
of cell cycle regulatory proteins and apoptotic signaling
molecules. SCS acted synergistically with the anti-
estrogen, Tamoxifen, suggesting the potential to achieve
the desired cytotoxic effect in cancer treatment at lower
drug doses with the potential for reduction in side
effects or toxicity of the drug on non-cancerous cells.
SCS also displayed potent anticancer effects in vivo.
SCS reduced tumour volume and tumour multiplicity in
rats bearing N-methyl nitrosourea-induced mammary
tumors. These were accompanied by modulation of
the expression of cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases
as well as various signaling molecules of both the
intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Interestingly, SCS is
also capable of activating the immune system in vivo
that may contribute to the anticancer effects of SCS.
Importantly, hematological and clinical biochemistry
profiles indicated that SCS is relatively safe, further
lending support for the therapeutic potential of SCS.
Biography
Nik Soriani Yaacob is a Professor at the School of Medical Sciences, Universiti
Sains Malaysia. She obtained her BSc and MSc from Australia and completed
her PhD in UK. She has held several administrative posts in USM, including the
Deputy Dean for Research at the School of Medical Sciences and currently holds
the Directorship of the Medical and Health Sciences Nexus of the university, which
is tasked to bring together various research groups to address a particular health
issue for the country. Her own research focuses on the use of natural products as
potential anti-cancer agents.
Nik Soriani Yaacob
Universiti Sains Malaysia, Malaysia
Nik Soriani Yaacob, Allied J Med Res 2017