Int. J. Pharm. Sci. Rev. Res., 19(1), Mar – Apr 2013; nᵒ 14, 64-68 ISSN 0976 – 044X International Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences Review and Research Available online at www.globalresearchonline.net 64 Nithya Narayanasamy, Saraswathi Uthamaramasamy *, Revathi Sundaravadivel, Poorni KE Department of Biochemistry, PSG College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India. * Corresponding author’s E-mail: sarasbiochem@yahoo.co.in Accepted on: 08-01-2013; Finalized on: 28-02-2013. ABSTRACT The ethanolic extract of Limonia acidissima (EELA) fruit pulp was evaluated for cytotoxic efficacy against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-inoculated Swiss albino mice. Tumor was induced in mice by intraperitoneal injection of EAC cells (1 × 10 6 cells/ mouse). EELA 5-fluorouracil was administered to EAC-bearing mice at a dose of 400 mg/ kg bw p.o. along with the standard 5-fluorouracil (20 mg/ kg bw i.p.) after 24 h of tumor inoculation. Treatment schedule significantly incremented the survival of animals with ascites tumor, decreased the body weight induced by the tumor burden, and reduced the packed cell volume and viable cell count. The alterations in the hematological profile (RBC, Hb, PCV, TC, and DC), lysosome-specific cancer markers (cathepsin-D, β-d- glucuronidase, and acid phosphatase), liver-specific cancer markers (5′-nucleotidase and lactate dehydrogenase), and membrane- bound ATPases (Na + /K + -ATPases and Mg 2+ -ATPases) were restored to a significant (P < 0.05) extent. The results of the study demonstrate the antitumor potential of EELA. Keywords: Ehrlich ascites carcinoma, 5-fluorouracil, Limonia acidissima; packed cell volume, viable cell count. INTRODUCTION lant-based medicine plays an important role in cancer treatment, and 60% of currently used anticancer agents are derived from plant resources. Limonia acidissima is a tropical fruit distributed in regions of Burma, India, Malaya, and Sri Lanka. The ripe fruit is popularly used as a dessert and a source of beverages, creams, and jellies. It is also used as a tonic to treat dysentery, stomatitis, asthma, leucorrhea, wounds, and ulcer. Ripe fruit of this plant contains tyramine derivatives, acidissimol, acidissiminin, epxide N-benzoyl tyramine, and stigmasterol. The plant possesses a wide range of biological activities such as adaptogenic activity, removal of blood impurities, and treatment of dyspepsia, jaundice, and liver disorders. The fruit pulp is also applied externally as a remedy for certain insect bites. 1 Fruits, leaves, and stem bark of L. acidissima possess larvicidal 2 and antimicrobial activities. 3 Preliminary phytochemical investigation of fruit pulp of this plant revealed the occurrence of alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids. 4 Several reports have proved the antimutagenic and antimalignant effects of flavonoids. Moreover, flavonoids have chemopreventive role through their effects on signal transduction in cell proliferation. 5 No reports are available in the literature for the in vivo antitumor potential of this plant. The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the antitumor effect of ethanolic extract of Limonia acidissima (EELA) against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice. MATERIALSAND METHODS Chemicals P-nitrophenyl-β-glycerophosphate,adenosine- 5’monophosphate, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, adenosine triphosphate, deoxyribonucleic acid, and ribonucleic acid were purchased from Himedia Laboratories Ltd . All the other chemicals used were of analytical grade. Preparation of plant extract The fruit of L. acidissima was procured from a local market in Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India. The plant was authenticated by a botanist in Botanical Survey of India, Coimbatore. Freshly collected material was chopped, shade dried, and coarsely powdered in a mechanical grinder; 100 g of dried powder was extracted with 150 ml of ethanol–water (1:1) several times at room temperature. The total extract was recovered by distillation under reduced pressure in a rotary evaporator. The yield of the plant extract was noted to be 6%. Tumor cells EAC cells were obtained through the courtesy of Amala Cancer Research Center, Kerala (Thrissur), India. The EAC cells were maintained in vivo in Swiss albino mice by intraperitoneal (i.p.) transplantation of 1 × 10 6 cells/ mouse after every 10 days. Animals and treatment schedule Male Swiss albino mice weighing 20 ± 2 g were procured from the animal house of PSG Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Coimbatore. The procured mice were categorized into five groups with nine animals each and maintained under standard laboratory conditions. Evaluation of Cytotoxic Effect of Limonia acidissima on Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma in Mice P Research Article