A micro-Raman spectroscopic investigation of leukemic U-937 cells treated with Crotalaria agatiflora Schweinf and the isolated compound madurensine

Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy
Karlien Le RouxNamrita Lall

Abstract

In South Africa traditional medicine plays an important role in primary health care and therefore it is very important that the medicinal use of plants is scientifically tested for toxicity and effectiveness. It was established that the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Crotalaria agatiflora, as well as the isolated compound madurensine, is moderately toxic against leukemic U-937 cells. Light microscopic investigations indicated that symptoms of cell death are induced during treatments, but flow cytometry analysis of treated cells, using annexin-V and propidium iodide, showed that apoptosis and necrosis are insignificantly induced. The Raman results suggested that protein extraction and DNA melting occur in the cells during treatment with the ethanolic extracts (IC(50) value 73.9 μg/mL), drastically changing the molecular content of the cells. In contrast, treatment with madurensine (IC(50) value 136.5 μg/mL), an isolated pyrrolizidine alkaloid from the ethanolic extract of the leaves, did not have the same effect. The results are also compared to that of cells treated with actinomycin D, a compound known to induce apoptosis. The investigation showed that micro-Raman spectroscopy has great promise to be used for initial screen...Continue Reading

References

Aug 30, 2008·Cancer Treatment Reviews·Elza C de Bruin, Jan Paul Medema
Nov 2, 2011·Journal of Ethnopharmacology·Karlien Le RouxNamrita Lall

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Citations

Feb 15, 2015·Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy·Daosen ZhangLiyun Zhong
Dec 17, 2014·Spectrochimica Acta. Part A, Molecular and Biomolecular Spectroscopy·K le RouxD Meyer
Jun 9, 2016·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Nanomedicine and Nanobiotechnology·Andrew R CollinsMaria Dusinska

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