Asian Journal of Pharmaceuticඌ • Apr-Jun 2016 (Suppl) • 10 (2) | S183 Anti-lymphoma Activity of Averrhoa bilimbi Fruit Extract in Swiss Albino Mice S. Jagadish Kumar, Shino Shaji, V. M. Berlin Grace Department of Biotechnology, Karunya University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India Abstract Aim: To evaluate the effect of Averrhoa bilimbi fruit extract against Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma (DAL) induced in Swiss albino mice. Materials and Methods: DAL cell line was injected via intraperitoneal to Swiss albino mice and was treated with A. bilimbi fruit extract for 15 days. Then, the animals were sacrificed on 15 th day to test hematological parameters, body weight, and tumor volume. The in vitro growth inhibition effect of A. bilimbi fruit extract on DAL cell line was also studied using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Results and Discussion: The A. bilimbi fruit extract showed promising anti-lymphoma activity in Swiss albino mice. Treatment of A. bilimbi normalized the hematological parameters significantly (**P < 0.01) by decreasing the high level of white blood cell and by increasing the levels of red blood cells and hemoglobin count when compared with DAL control mice. The treated mice group with A. bilimbi fruit extract resulted in significant (P < 0.01) decrease in body weight when compared with the control. The MTT assay also has shown a significant growth inhibition percent (97.96%) for the fruit extract treatment. Conclusion: The current study revealed the anti-lymphoma activity of the A. bilimbi fruit extract against DAL cell line induced Swiss albino mice. Key words: Averrhoa bilimbi, Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma cell line, mice weight, tumor volume, hematology, 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay Address for correspondence: Dr. V. M. Berlin Grace, Department of Biotechnology, Karunya University, Karunya Nagar, Coimbatore - 641 114, Tamil Nadu, India. Phone: +91-9894051175. E-mail: berlsdg@gmail.com Received: 26-04-2016 Revised: 08-05-2016 Accepted: 14-05-2016 INTRODUCTION I ndia is a country with 15 agro climatic zones, in which more than 7000 plants are having medicinal usage in common folk and documented systems of medicine. Plants are used in Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani, and Homoeopathy to treat many diseases. It was reported very earlier that 80% of world inhabitant problems are treated by medicinal herbal drugs. [1] Averrhoa bilimbi belongs to Oxalidaceae family and traditionally its fruits are used in pickle preparations. [2] The leaves, flowers, and fruits are used to treat a cough, pimples, hypertension, diabetes, fever, swellings, inflammation, and to stop rectal bleeding. [3] A. bilimbi is having minerals such as phosphorous, nitrogen, potassium, and iron. [4] It is found throughout Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Srilanka, and common in Southeast Asian countries. It has antimicrobial activity [5] and antidiabetic property. [6] This plant is used in traditional medicine as a cure for a cough, cold, itches, boils syphilis, and hypertension. [7] In the Philippines, the leaf is being applied as a paste on itches, swelling, rheumatism, mumps or skin eruptions and used for bites against poisonous infection. [8] Another study has reported that the A. bilimbi fruit extract showed cytotoxicity activity in brine shrimp lethality bioassay. They found that the methanolic fruit extract has more cytotoxicity than leaf, and the LC 50 of the leaf was found to be 92.51 and for the fruit extract was 12.96. [6] In cancer study, the tumor mass increased rapidly and spread throughout the body and eventually caused the death of the organism. [9] Dalton’s ascitic lymphoma (DAL) is cancer causing cells, which increase the tumor cells in the peritoneal cavity and the body of the organism increases to maximum (tumor increase) and can cause death. Up to now, no in vivo antitumor studies of A. bilimbi fruit extract against DAL-induced ascitic tumor have not reported. Based on the previous phytochemical study, antimicrobial activity and cytotoxicity activity of fruit extract and ethno traditional use the current investigation of A. bilimbi fruit extract against DAL-induced ascetic tumor in Swiss albino mice is designed. ORIGINAL ARTICLE