• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5887-5895
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• 2012

Background: To determine the effect of essential oil obtained from a traditionally used medicinal plant Tridax procumbens L, on lung metastasis developed by B16F-10 melanoma cells in C57BL/6 mice. Materials and Methods: Parameters studied were toxicity, lung tumor nodule count, histopathological features, tumor directed capillary vessel formation, apoptosis and expression levels of $P^{53}$ and caspase-3 proteins. Results: In vitro the MTT assay showed cytotoxicity was found to be high as 70.2% of cancer cell death within 24hrs for $50{\mu}g$. In vivo oil treatment significantly inhibited tumor nodule formation by 71.7% when compared with untreated mice. Formation of tumor directed new blood vessels was also found to be inhibited to about 39.5%. TUNEL assays also demonstrated a significant increase in the number of apoptotic positive cells after the treatment. $P^{53}$ and caspase-3 expression was also found to be greater in the essential oil treated group than the normal and cancer group. Conclusions: The present investigation showed significant effects of the essential oil of Tridax procumbens L in preventing lung metastasis by B16F-10 cell line in C57BL/6 mice. Its specific preventive effect on tumor directed angiogenesis and inducing effect on apoptosis warrant further studies at the molecular level to validate the significance of Tridax procumbens L for anticancer therapy.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.33-39
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• 2015

Mercury is a toxic pollutants present in different types of industrial effluents and is responsible for environmental pollution. Removal of Hg(II) ions from synthetic wastewater was studied using the activated biocarbon produced from the leaves of Tridax procumbens (Asteraceae). The particle size of the biocarbon (BC) is in the range of $100-120{\mu}m$. The effects of initial metal ion concentration, pH, contact time, and amount of biocarbon on the biosorption process were studied at temperature of $28{\pm}2^{\circ}C$. Batch experimental studies showed that an equilibrium time of 160 min was required for the maximum removal of Hg(II) at the optimized biocarbon dose of 2.5 g per 100 mL of synthetic wastewater. The optimum pH required for maximum removal (96.5%) of Hg(II) ions was found to be 5.5. The biosorption of metal ions onto activated biocarbon surface is probably via an ion exchange mechanism. The biocarbon can be regenerated with minimum loss. Further, it can be reused without any chemical activation. The findings of the research suggested that, the biocarbon produced from cost effective renewable resources can be utilized for the treatment of industrial wastewater.

• Journal of Pharmacopuncture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 2022

Objectives: Aqueous leaf extract of Tridax procumbens (ALETP) has potent relaxant activity. However, this relaxant activity in respiratory smooth muscle remains uninvestigated. This study investigates the effect of ALETP on the contractile activity of tracheal smooth muscle (TSM) in adult male Wistar rats. Methods: Twelve male Wistar rats divided into 2 groups and were treated with either 100 mg/kg of ALETP (ALETP treatment group) or vehicle (distilled water; control group) through oral gavage for 4 weeks. Dose responses of TSM from the 2 groups to acetylcholine (10^-9 to 10^-5 M), phenylephrine (10^-9 to 10^-5 M), and potassium chloride (KCl; 10^-9 to 10^-4 M) were determined cumulatively. Furthermore, cumulative dose responses to acetylcholine (10^-9 to 10^-5 M) after pre-incubation of TSM with atropine (10^-5 M), L-NAME (10^-4 M), indomethacin (10^-4 M), and nifedipine (10^-4 M), were determined. Results: Treatment with ALETP substantially inhibited TSM contraction stimulated by cumulative doses of acetylcholine, phenylephrine, and KCl. Furthermore, preincubation of TSM from the 2 groups in atropine significantly inhibited contractility in TSM. Incubation in L-NAME and indomethacin also significantly inhibited contractility in TSM of ALETP-treated rats compared to that of controls. Contractile activity of the TSM was also inhibited significantly with incubation in nifedipine in ALETP-treated rats. Conclusion: ALETP enhanced relaxant activity in rat TSM primarily by blocking the L-type calcium channel and promoting endothelial nitric oxide release. ALETP contains agents that may be useful in disorders of the respiratory tract.