ANTI-TUMOR EFFECT OF EUONYMUS EUROPAEUS ON EHRLICH TUMOR CELLS IN VIVO

Euonymus europaeus L., (EE) is the sole representative of Celastraceae family in Europe. The aim of the present study was to investigate EE anticancer effect on an in vivo model. The ethanolic extract was administered in different doses both orally and intraperitoneally in Swiss female mice intraperitoneally implanted with Ehrlich ascitic tumour cells. The EE extract showed a significant antiproliferative effect in a dose dependent manner, the highest dose of 50 mg/kg b.w., reduced the body weight gain (by up to 5%), accumulation of ascitic fluid (by up to 65%), and the tumour cell concentration (by up to 43%) (p<0.05). The inhibitory effect was positively correlated with the concentration of the inflammatory cells into the peritoneal exudate.