Evaluation of antitumor activity of Manilkara zapota leaves against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma in mice

This study has been designed to explore in vivo the antitumuor activity of the ethyl acetate extract of leaves of Manilkara zapota (EALM) against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC). The antitumour activity of EALM against EAC was evaluated at doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg kg–1 day–1. Intraperitoneal treatment with EALM (at 100 and 200 mg kg–1 day–1) showed a significant increase in survival time and decrease in viable EAC cell count and weight gain in the EAC tumour hosts. Improvement in the altered hematological parameters following EALM treatment, like hemoglobin content, red blood corpuscle and white blood corpuscle count of the EAC cell bearing mice were also observed. Overall, the findings of the study indicate antitumour activity of EALM. In addition, erythrodiol, which was for the first time isolated from EALM, also showed 70.8% reduction in viable tumour cell count, in comparison with the untreated control.