Morinda Citrifolia Leaf Extract Ameliorated Leukemia in Mice Model

Abstract

Leukemia affects over a million people worldwide and disturbs the bone marrow, the spleen and the lymph system. In finding dietary therapy against leukemia the vegetable Morinda citrifolia leaves were investigated and compared with ATRA (all-trans-retinoic acid) in mice. The extract standardised to epicatechin and scopoletin was anti-proliferative against human JURKAT and murine WEHI-3B leukemia cells (IC 50 of 14.5 and 17μg /ml respectively) in vitro yet was nontoxic to normal peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Leukemia was induced in the BALB/c mice by inoculating WEHI-3B cells subcutaneously. Three days after leukemia development the extract (100 and 200mg /Kg BW) or ATRA (5mg/ kg BW) were fed daily to the mice for four weeks. The extract decreased the leukemic mice peripheral blood immature leukocytes, anemia, total white blood cells; bone marrow blasts cells content and blast cells invasions to the spleen and liver. Electron microscopy and histopathology observations confirmed the extract induced leukemia cells apoptosis similar to ATRA. The extract also mitigated the changes in T-cells and B-cells levels in the leukemic spleen tissues in vivo. The extract dose dependently induced leukemia cells apoptosis both in vitro and in vivo restored all pathological blood, liver and spleen changes in vivo and reinstated the endogenous immune responses to normal healthy levels in vivo. [7] and Typhonium flagelliforme [8]. Morinda citrifolia (Noni) or `mengkudu' in Malaysia has been extensively used for its broad therapeutic effects, including various anticancer activities, in both clinical practice and laboratory animal models [9]. The Morinda citrifolia leaves are often eaten as vegetables after blanching by the locals of South East Asia. The leaves are also traditionally used medicinally to treat wound infections, pain, arthritis, swellings and for general health. The leaves have liver-protective, antioxidant and skin healing effects [10]. The leaves are scientifically reported to have no acute, sub-acute or sub-chronic oral toxicity [11]. The oral no observed-adverseeffect level (NOAEL) of M. citrifolia leaves ethanolic extract is 1000 mg/kg [12]. This work demonstrates the therapeutic effects of the edible Morinda citrifolia (Mengkudu/Noni) leaf extract for leukemia and the possible modes of action in mice model. Keywords Materials and Methods Plant materialsM. citrifolia leaves (Voucher No. SK2322/14, identified by Biodiversity Unit, Institute of Bioscience, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang) were collected from Institute Bioscience, Morinda Citrifolia Leaf Extract Ameliorated Leukemia in Mice Model 2/11Copyright: ©2017 Ahmadi et al. University Putra Malaysia, State of Selangor, Malaysia. The leaves were dried, coarsely ground and soaked overnight in 50% aqueous ethanol in the leaf: solvent ratio (w/v) of 1:5 (kg/l), with occasional stirring. The extract was filtered and rotary evaporated to remove all solvents. The yield was 13.6%. The leaf extract is standardized using HPLC (Waters 2996, Milford, MA)...