The Anti-Angiogenic Property of Andropogon nardus L. (Citronella) Extracts on Chorioallantoic Membrane of Anas luzonica(Philippine Duck) Eggs

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels, is a hallmark of cancer. It plays a key role in tumor growth and metastasis of cancer since blood vessels provide nutrition to sustain the growing tumor. Hence, the inhibition of angiogenesis can provide an important preventive approach in cancer (Abdolmaleki et al., 2016). A way to prevent the growth of tumors due to the formation and growth of blood vessels is called anti-angiogenesis. The study evaluated the anti-angiogenic activity of Andropogon nardus L. (citronella) leaves using CAM assay and particularly investigated the specific concentration/s (mg/ mL) of A. nardus leaf extracts that will exhibit anti-angiogenic activity on the CAM Assay of duck embryo.

METHODS

A. nardus leaves were gathered and air-dried for two weeks. Later on, it was powdered and soaked in ethanol for 48 hours. It was then subjected into rotary evaporation for crude extraction and freeze drying to evaporate water present in the extract. The eggs were classified into 5 set-ups with 2 replicates per trial. The crude extracts underwent serial dilution that were classified as follows: treatment 1 (25 mg/mL of plant extract), treatment 2 (12.5 mg/mL of plant extract), treatment 3 (6.5 mg/mL of plant extract), treatment 4 (25 mg/mL methotrexate), and treatment 5 (1 mL distilledwater). After the administration of treatments in the CAM assay, it was quantified through counting the number of blood vessels using WimCAM tool by Wimasis Image Analysis.

RESULTS

Results showed that the negative control had 86.67 as overall mean number of collaterals and 38.33 for the positive control. The overall mean number of collaterals of Treatment 1, Treatment 2, and Treatment 3 were 60.83, 60.33 and 31.8, respectively. It was observed that the lowest concentration of the plant extract had the lowest mean while the highest concentration had the highest. In comparison with the negative control and various treatments, it showed that the former had the highest mean while T3 had the lowest mean. Meanwhile, T1 acquired the highest mean and T3 had the lowest mean in the comparison with the positive control and various treatments. Thus, Treatment 3 (6.5 mg/mL of A. nardus extract) possess an anti-angiogenic property comparable to all other treatments.

DISCUSSIONS

The study showed that Treatment 3 (6.5 mg/mL) of A. nardus leaf extract can be a potential anti-angiogenic agent because of its comparable effect with the 25mg/mL Methotrexate, a drug known to possess anti-angiogenic property.