Antitumoral effect of Plantago major L. extract against ehrlich ascites carcinoma in balb/C mice

Only ten percent of the approximately 250 000 species of higher plants have beenchemically and pharmacologically investigated and found effective anticanceragents, which derived from plants such as vinblastin and irinotecan have beenprovided in current days. Despite much reports about uses of Plantago major L. asanticancer agents in vitro there is no report in vivo. In this study, we haveinvestigated antitumor activity of P. major extract in Ehrlich ascites carcinomabearing Balb/C mice in vivo. 30 male Balb/C mice were divided into 5 groups: threeof them were treatment groups and two of them were control groups (n:6).Treatment groups and negative control group were injected with EAC (1x106)intraperitoneally to develop ascites tumor. Treatment with three doses of P. major(%1, %2 and %3 extracts, 0.1 ml/day/mouse) p.o. were given for ten consecutivedays. The control groups were treated with SF (0.1 ml/day/mouse). Body weightchangings of all animals were recorded. On the eleventh day, all animals weresacrified and their tissues were stained with haematoxilen-eosin for pathologicalstudies. Body weight of group I, group II, group III and group negative control wereincreased because of tumor boarden. The maximal weight increase was recorded ingroup (-) control and the minimal weight increase was recorded in group I. Alsopathologically studies showed that P. major extract (especially %1 concentration)has inhibition effect against EAC.Key words: Plantago major L., Ehrlich, Antitumor, Balb/C.