Advances in Biological Research 5 (4): 193-199, 2011 ISSN 1992-0067 © IDOSI Publications, 2011 Corresponding Author: Sabry A. EL-Naggar, Department of Zoology Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Egypt, Tel: (002) 040-3412712, E-mail: sabry_elnaggar@yahoo.com. 193 Lack of the Beneficial Effects of Mirazid (Commiphora molmol) When administered with Chemotherapeutic Agents on Ehrlich Ascetic Carcinoma Bearing Mice Sabry A. EL-Naggar Department of Biology Faculty of Science, Al-Jouf University, KSA Abstract: Recently, the complementary and alternative medicines are used all over the world to enhance the anti-tumor activity and to ameliorate the side effects after chemotherapy treatments. The current study was conducted to assess the efficacy of oleo-gum-resin of Commiphora molmol (Family: Burceraceae) known as Myrrh and the commercial extract known as Mirazid (MRZ) as anti-tumor agents and its possible role as a complementary medicine with the standard chemotherapeutic drugs; cisplatin or 5-Flurouracil (5-FU). Ehrlich ascetic carcinoma (EAC) cells (2 x 10 cells / mouse) were inoculated in eighty four female Swiss albino mice by 6 intraperitoneal (i.p.) injection. After 24 hours of tumor inoculation, mice were divided into seven groups (n=12). MRZ was injected alone or in combination with cisplatin or with 5-FU daily for 6 days. The anti-tumor efficacy was evaluated by using median survival time (MST), tumor ascetic volume, counting the viable and non-viable tumor cells. Some biochemical parameters and the hematological profile were assessed as well. Analyzing data showed that the median lethal dose LD50 and LD90 of MRZ to normal mice were 1739.5 and 2777 mg/kg, respectively. The study showed that the metronomic provision of MRZ (100 mg/Kg/6 days daily or 250 mg/Kg every other day for 6 days) alone had no anti-tumor activity against EAC in vivo. In addition, the treatment with MRZ alone or in concomitant with cisplatin or 5-FU didn’t change the hematological profile, but it did some biochemical changes. Collectively, the treatment with MRZ had no effect as anti-tumor agent and didn’t show any beneficial effects when administered in concomitant with chemotherapeutic agents. Key words:Ehrlich ascetic carcinoma (EAC) %Mirazid %Commiphora molmol %Cisplatin %5-FU %Anti-tumor %Efficacy INTRODUCTION that some traditional plants were tested as anti-cancer Cancer represents the largest cause of death allover anticancer efficacy in vivo and in vitro [11-13]. the world and threaten over 6 million lives every year. Ten Furthermore, it has reported that gallic acid which million new cases of cancer are diagnosed globally every extracted from garlic seeds can restrain the BEL-7404 year [1]. Despite the progress using surgical removal, cells proliferation and induce apoptosis in vitro [14]. chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy, the outcomes are still In a recent study, the treatment with Commiphora of limited. This limitation is due to the tumor cell molmol (myrrh) which known commercially under the resistance or due to the escape from the immune system. name of Mirazid (MZR) in the Egyptian pharmacies In addition, most of the existing anti-tumor drugs showed showed insignificant activity against fascioliasis [15, 16]. some sort of side effects such as, paclitaxel [2], Also, it has reported that myrrh had hypocholesteremic, doxorubicin [3, 4] and cyclophosphamide [5]. For these antipyretic, antihistaminic, anti-gastric ulcer [17-19]. In reasons, recent studies were conducted to find new Egypt, several studies have been conducted to evaluate modalities to minimize the side effects after treatment the anti-schistosomal efficacy of myrrh [20], anti- with the chemotherapeutic agents [5-8]. One of these fascioliasis [21]. The present study was carried out to modalities is to utilize the medicinal herbs as evaluate the antitumor activity of myrrh (Mirazid) using complementary and alternative medicines to reduce the Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in Swiss albino mice and side effects and/or to enhance the chemo-sensitivity of to evaluate its role when administered in concomitant the applied drugs [8-10]. Furthermore, it has been reported with cisplatin or 5-FU using EAC-model. agent. Curcumin and ginger have found to be a potent