In vitro Anticancer Activities of Ethanolic Extracts of Dendrobiumcrepidatum and Dendrobium chrysanthum against T-cell lymphoma

Background: The orchid plants of Dendrobium, belong to the largest family of flowering plants orchidaceae. The genus Dendrobium reported to possess various therapeutic activities including anticancer activity. In the present scenario, cancer is one of the most leading causes of death worldwide. Therefore, the main objective of the present study was to demonstrate the cytotoxic and apoptotic inducing activity of Dendrobium crepidatum and Dendrobium chrysanthum ethanolic extracts in T-cell lymphoma. Methods: MTT assay was done to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of the extracts on lymphoma cells. The reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation by the ethanolic extracts was also examined by DCFH-DA. Fluorescence microscopy studies and DNA fragmentation assay were done to investigate the apoptotic cell death. Flow cytometry was done to check the effect of ethanolic extracts on cell cycle phase distribution. Results: The results revealed that both the extracts led to dose dependent cytotoxic effect in T-cell lymphoma along with increased generation of intracellular reactive oxygen species in a dose and time dependent manner. The fluorescent microscopic studies showed that the extracts induced cellular shrinkage, chromatin condensation and nuclear fragmentation, the major hallmarks of apoptosis, in dose dependent manner. The presence of DNA ladder further confirms the process of nuclear fragmentation, and the cell cycle analysis showed significant delay at G2/M phase of the cell cycle with both the extracts. Conclusion: The whole study suggests that Dendrobium crepidatum and Dendrobium chrysanthum ethanolic extracts induced substantial cytotoxic and apoptotic activity in T-cell lymphoma. Therefore, further studies are needed to establish the detailed mechanism of anticancer activity of both the ethanolic extracts.