Specific inhibition of tumor cell growth by (portulaca oleracea)

摘要

Portulaca oleracea has been used throughout history for many different medicinal purposes. This invention is directed to the novel use of P. oleracea for the treatment of cancer. More specifically it is disclosed that P. oleracea has a specific and distinct effect on the inhibition and/or suppression of gastric tumor cell growth in vitro and in vivo. An aqueous extract of P. oleracea showed a tumoricidal activity against KATO III (human gastric carcinoma cell line) and COLO 320 HSR cells (human colon adenoma cell line) in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner, but not against the non-tumorous cell lines, L929 (murine lung connective tissue) and W138 (human lung diploid cell) cells. Subcutaneous injection of six week old CD1 nude mice with COLO 320 HSR cells and subsequently Portulaca oleracea extract showed a clear inhibition of tumor growth as compared to the control nude mice which received only COLO 320 HSR cells.