Antitumour activity of Angelica archangelica leaf extract. (1/4)

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of a leaf extract from A. archangelica on the growth of Crl mouse breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The antiproliferative activity of the extract was measured by 3H-thymidine uptake in the Crl cells in vitro. Twenty mice were injected with the Crl cells, and 11 of them were fed A. archangelica leaf extract, and the progress of the tumours was followed. RESULTS: The leaf extract was mildly antiproliferative on the Crl cells with an EC50 of 87.6 microg/ml The antitumour activity of the extract was expressed in the mice by marked reduction in tumour growth. In the experimental animals, 9 out of 11 mice developed no or very small tumours, whereas control animals, not receiving the extract, developed significantly larger tumours (p<0.01), as estimated by Mann-Whitney U-test. The antitumour activity of the leaf extract could not be explained by the antiproliferative activity of furanocoumarins present in the extract. CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate the antiproliferative activity in vitro and antitumour activity in vivo of a leaf extract from A. archangelica  (+info)

The cytotoxic effect of two chemotypes of essential oils from the fruits of Angelica archangelica L. (2/4)

BACKGROUND: The aim of this work was to study the constituents and cytotoxicity of the essential oils from the fruits of Angelica archangelica growing in Iceland. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three samples of essential oils were prepared by steam distillation. Their composition was established with GC/MS. The effects of the oils were examined in PANC-1 human pancreas cancer cells and Crl mouse breast cancer cells in concentrations ranging from 10-400 microg/ml, measuring the reduction of the tetrazolium salt 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -5- (3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2- (4-sulphophenyl) -2H-tetrazolium (MTS) by mitochondrial enzymes. RESULTS: Two types of essential oils were found, differing mainly in the absence or presence of beta-phellandrene. The ED50 of the oils ranged from 48.6 microg/ml to 108.3 microg/ml for PANC-1 and 48.0 microg/ml to 91.8 microg/ml for Crl cells. CONCLUSION: The cytotoxic activity of the essential oils was independent of the quantity of their main components.  (+info)

Anti-anxiety activity of successive extracts of Angelica archangelica Linn. on the elevated T-maze and forced swimming tests in rats. (3/4)

OBJECTIVE: Angelica archangelica Linn. is widely used in food and liquor preparations and also in Kashmiri folk medicine to reduce anxiety. We evaluated the anxiolytic effect of successive extracts of A. archangelica linn. (SAE) on rats tested in the elevated T-maze test (an animal model of generalized anxiety) at doses that exhibit antidepressant-like activity in humans. METHODS: A. archangelica (1 kg) was subjected to successive extraction in a soxhlet apparatus with solvents [petroleum ether (40-60 degrees C), chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol and decoction with water] in order of increasing polarity (yield: 6.9%, 7.3%, 5.1%, 11.88% and 8.2% w/w, respectively). SAE were evaluated for anxiolytic effects using the elevated T-maze and forced swimming tests in rats. RESULTS: Oral dosing of diazepam (1 mg/kg) and extracts (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) clearly showed an anxiolytic-like profile in the elevated T-maze test: it increased one-way escape and decreased inhibitory avoidance on the first, third and seventh day. In the forced swimming test, imipramine and SAE showed antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects as reflected by increased climbing time, swimming time and decreased immobility time on the first, third and seventh day. Aqueous and methanol extracts showed the most, petroleum ether (40-60 degrees C) and chloroform intermediate, and ethyl acetate the least anxiolytic activity (*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P< 0.001) in both models. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest the anti-anxiety activity of various extracts of A. archangelica and strongly justify its use in traditional Indian medicine for the treatment of anxiety.  (+info)

A parallel, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to investigate the effect of SagaPro on nocturia in men. (4/4)

 (+info)