Antitumor and immunomodulating potential of Coriandrum sativum , Piper nigrum and Cinnamomum zeylanicum

Abstract

Phytochemicals are known to modulate immune function, and possess antitumor and antimicrobial properties. In the pres ent study, in vitro antitumor and immunomodulating activities of aqueous and methanol extracts of Coriandrum sativum (leaf and seed), Piper nigrum and Cinnamomum zeylanicum seeds were evaluated. We observed that aqueous extract of C. sativum (leaf), P. nigrum, and C. zeylanicum caused significant (P<0.05) 24, 39 and 61 percent L5178Y-R lymphoma cells toxicity at 31.2, 31.2 and 7.8 μg/ml (MICs) respectively, whereas the methanol extract of C. sativum (seed and leaf), P. nigrum, and C. zeylanicum caused 40, 31, 26 and 39 percent cytotoxicity at 7.8, 62.5, 15.6 and 7.8 μg/ml (MICs), respectively. In addition, C. sativum leaf aqueous extract stimulated significant (P<0.0 1) 14 to 45 percent splenic cells lymphoproliferation at 7.8 to 125 μg/ml respectively, whereas P. nigrum caused significant (P<0.01) 79 percent proliferati on at 125 μg/ml; similarly, C. zeylanicum aqueous extract significantly (P<0.01) induced 20 and 37 percent thymic cells lymphoproliferation at 62.5 and 125 μg/ml respectively, whereas the methanol extracts of C. sativum leaf extract caused significant (P<0.01) 43 to 59 percent lymphoproliferation at the concentrations t ested. Furthermore, all spice aqueous extracts tested were observed to significan tly (P<0.01) reduce up to 100% nitric oxide production by LPS-stimulated macrophages.