Oroxylum indicum is a traditionally used plant in Ayurvedic and folk medicines. The plant is useful for the management of gastrointestinal diseases as well as skin diseases. In the present study, we analyzed the antitumor potential of O. indicum in Dalton’s lymphoma ascites tumor cells (DLA) and Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC)-induced solid and ascites tumors. Further, the potential of O. indicum extract (OIM) on skin papilloma induction by dimethyl benz(a) anthracene (DMBA) and croton oil was evaluated. The chemical composition of the extract was analyzed using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS. The predominant compounds present in the extract were demethoxycentaureidin 7-O-rutinoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, baicalein-7-O-glucuronide, 5,6,7-trihydroxyflavone, 3-Hydroxy-3′,4′,5′-trimethoxyflavone, 5,7-dihydroxy-3-(4-methoxyphenyl) chromen-4-one, and 4′-Hydroxy-5,7-dimethoxyflavanone. Treatment with high-dose OIM enhanced the percentage of survival in ascites tumor-bearing mice by 34.97%. Likewise, high and low doses of OIM reduced the tumor volume in mice by 61.84% and 54.21%, respectively. Further, the skin papilloma formation was brought down by the administration of low- and high-dose groups of OIM (by 67.51% and 75.63%). Overall, the study concludes that the Oroxylum indicum root bark extract is a potentially active antitumor and anticancer agent.

In the current investigation, Annona muricata Linn. lyophilized fruit pulp powder was evaluated for its hepatoprotective activity induced by paracetamol or acetaminophen (APAP). Male Sprague Dawley rats were orally pre-treated for 15 days with A. muricata lyophilized fruit pulp powder at low (1 g/kg b.wt) and high doses (2 g/kg b.wt). Silymarin (100 mg/kg) was administered as the standard drug. Hepatotoxicity was induced using APAP, in a single oral administration of 2.5 g/kg body weight dosage on the 15th day. Aspartate transaminase (AST), alanine transaminase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were elevated in the APAP group but were found to be significantly reduced in the pre-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner. APAP administration brought down the serum total protein and albumin levels significantly. The activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase were reduced in the APAP administration; further, the reduced glutathione pool in the tissue was also diminished significantly. However, with the administration of Annona lyophilized fruit pulp powder, the level of antioxidant parameters was near normal. A significant increase in lipid peroxidation was observed in the APAP group, while the silymarin, AML, and AMH groups exhibited resistance to lipid peroxidation (LPO), as evident from lower levels of LPO generated. Histopathological examination also revealed considerable tissue damage in the APAP alone treatment group, which was not devastating in the silymarin, AML, and AMH groups. Altogether, the study concludes that the lyophilized fruit pulp of A. muricata is protective against APAP-induced liver injury in rats by modulating the hepatic redox systems.

Oroxylum indicum Vent is a medium-sized deciduous tree that belongs to the family Bignoniaceae. The roots of this tree are used as one of the ten ingredients to prepare the Dasamula formulation in the Ayurvedic system of medicine in India. Although traditional uses are attributed to the medicinal plant, there are limited scientific data on its potential. The present study thus analyzed the cytotoxic and apoptotic potential of the plant against different cancer cells. MTT assay was used to determine cytotoxicity using HeLa, HCT 15, and MDA-MB-231 cells, with the IC50 values, revealed at concentrations of 92.43, 133.0, and 112.84 µg/mL respectively. However, the extract was less toxic to non-cancer cells. HeLa cells further treated with OIM were subjected to flow cytometric analysis for studying the cell cycle stages. When untreated cells at G1 phase were found at a relative percentage of 71.9%, it increased to 79.3 and 86% with OIM treatment at concentrations of 50 and 100 µg/mL; cells in the S phase decreased from 10.3 to 8.2 and 7.5%, concluding the arrest of the cell cycle at G1 phase. With further study of apoptotic morphology with dual acridine orange–ethidium bromide staining and Annexin–Hoechst staining, cells at early and late apoptotic stages were observed with OIM treatment at 100 µg/mL concentration. Although such effects were noticed with OIM treatment, it could not be concluded that the extract had remarkable anti-proliferative effects, since the small changes noticed in cell cycle arrest and apoptotic induction were attained at a high concentration of OIM 100 µg/mL. The biological activities of plants and their extracts are attributed to the presence of multifarious compounds present in them. LC-MS Q-TOF analysis confirmed the presence of biochanin A and baicalein in OIM. HPLC-based quantification of baicalein and chrysin was shown to be 3.36 and 1.11 mg/gram dry weight. To conclude, the above results suggest that the root bark of O. indicum has a broad spectrum of biological activities, including anticancer and apoptotic properties.