African Journal of
Biotechnology

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Biotechnol.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1684-5315
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJB
  • Start Year: 2002
  • Published Articles: 12496

Full Length Research Paper

Dedifferentiation of leaf explants and antileukemia activity of an ethanolic extract of cell cultures of Moringa oleifera

Mutasim M. Khalafalla1, Hussein M. Dafalla1 A. Nassrallah2, Khalid M. Aboul-Enein3, Hany A. El-Shemy2 and Eltayb Abdellatef1*
1Commission for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, P. O. Box 2404 Khartoum, Sudan. 2Faculty of Agriculture Research Park (FARP) and Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, 12613 Giza, Egypt. 3Department of Clinical Pathology, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 30 December 2010
  •  Published: 04 April 2011

Abstract

The present study was aimed at developing an efficient protocol for callus induction from the leaves of Moringa oleifera and to investigate its crude extract antileukemia activity on leukemia cells. Several secondary metabolites are present in M. oleiferaas the plant serves as reservoirs for various bioactive compounds. Callus cultures of M. oleifera were induced from leaf explants incubated on MS medium supplemented with different concentrations of 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The crude extracts of the callus were evaluated in vitro for their activity against leukemia cells and hepatocarcinoma. Among the different concentrations, 2,4-D at 0.1 mg/l induced highest frequencies of callus growth index (7.8) when compared with other concentrations. Ethanolic extracts killed about 36% of abnormal cells among primary cells harvested from 3 patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and hepatocarcinoma cells HpG2. These results provide an in vitro evidence and support the traditional use of M. oleifera leaf as a potent source of anticancer. However, more researches are needed at phytochemical and clinical levels to confirm the traditional use of this plant as anticancer.

 

Key words: Moinga olifera, callus culture, antileukemia, hepatocarcinoma.

Abbreviation

MTT, 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide;PBS, phosphate buffered saline; AML, acute myeloid leukemia; HCC,hepatocellular carcinoma; 2,4-D, 2,4-dichloro-phenoxyacetic acid.