Dr. Vikas Sharma
Cancer is a deadly disease, becoming big load on families and economies. According to World Health Organization’s recent estimate, the cumulative death toll due to cancer will be 12 million by 2030. Cancer cases related deaths on rise in J&K during past four years with the total of 11,815 cancer cases and 5,198 mortality cases have been reported in the state during the current year. Inspite of recent advances in cancer research and significant development in the field of synthetic drug chemistry, it is considered that the management of cancer is still not up to the mark and we are in emergent need of drugs for the treatment of cancer having no side effects. Therefore, the research for alternative drugs of natural origin, which are less toxic, endowed with fewer side effects and more potent in their mechanism of action, is an important research line.
Spices not only add aroma and taste to the food, but also possess certain medicinal values as well. Many spices like turmeric, red chilli, coriander, cumin, mint etc have been proved to cure diseases ranging from common cold and cough to cancerous tumors. Turmeric, ginger, garlic, capsicum, fenugreek, cinnamon have different active compounds with anticancer properties. Natural products from some spices offer new sources of drugs, but there are still a number of spices in which all the active constituents have not yet been investigated although their medicinal effect is established. Therefore, efforts are still being made for the search of effective naturally occurring anticarcinogens that would prevent, slow or reverse cancer development.
Mentha is a plant with worldwide distribution and contains several species which are used in traditional medicine mainly for gastrointestinal disturbances. Many pharmacological and cytotoxic activities have been reported from Mentha species. Mentha arvensis is an erect and branched aromatic herb, up to 60cm in height and grows in Western Himalayas at an altitude of 1500-3000m. The plant is cultivated in Jammu and Kashmir at heights from 300-1200m and the whole plant is used in vast range of diseases like anorexia, abdominal pain, vomiting, cough, loss of appetite, menstrual disorders, pain in joints and in diseases of liver, spleen and asthma. The essential oil from the leaf part of the plant was found to be fungicidal and may be useful as potential antibacterial agent for inhibiting the growth of pathogens. Moreover, the extract from the leaf part of the plant showed radio-protective and antioxidant effect. Mentha spicata is an important aromatic spice which is cultivated throughout the world. Its essential oil is widely used in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries The beneficial effects of this plant in treatment of many gastro-intestinal disorders have been well documented It is also known to possess antimicrobial, antimutagenic, anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of coffeic acid, rosmarinic acid and ?-tocopherol. It was found to be antiallergic, chemopreventive and H2O2 scavenger. Mentha spicata extract showed cytotoxic effect on PC-3 cancer cell line and its oil has anti-proliferative activity on KB and P388 cancer cell lines. Mentha piperita has a long history of safe use, both in medicinal preparations and as a flavoring agent. It is used as a remedy for common cold, inflammatory processes of the mouth, pharynx, sinuses, liver, gallbladder and bowel as well as gastrointestinal tract ailments such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, flatulence, dyspepsia. Chloroform and ethylacetate extracts from leaf part of Mentha piperita showed significant dose and time dependent anticarcinogenic activity against HeLa, MCF-7, Jurkat, T24, HT-29 and MIAPaCa-2 cancer cell lines. The oral administration of aqueous extract from Mentha piperita leaves showed a significant reduction in number of lung tumors from an incidence of 67.92% in animals given only benzo[a]pyrene to 26.31%. Essential oil from Mentha pulegium proved to be a cytotoxic agent against human ovary adenocarcinoma SK-OV-3, human malignant cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa and human lung carcinoma A-549 cell lines Methanolic extracts and essential oils from six Mentha species viz; Mentha piperita, Mentha spicata, Mentha pulegium, Mentha longifolia, Mentha aquatica and Mentha crispa showed cytotoxicity against HeLa and HeP2 cancer cell lines.
In view of above facts and due to enormous medicinal properties of Mentha species, the research work was undertaken in the Division of Biochemistry and Plant Physiology, SKUAST-Jammu in collaboration with Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine (IIIM-CSIR), Jammu to exploit below mentioned four Mentha species for in vitro anticancer efficiency against human cancer cells from different tissues.
The information within braces in order is: Family, English name, Hindi name
*Mentha arvensis [Lamiaceae, Field mint, Pudina]
* Mentha spicata [Lamiaceae, Spear mint, Pahari Pudina]
* Mentha longifolia [Lamiaceae, Horse mint, Jungli Pudina]
* Mentha viridis [Lamiaceae, Lamb mint, Gamathi Pudina]
Mentha arvensis showed its in vitro cytotoxic effect against human cancer cell lines from three different tissues. The plant showed 97% growth inhibition against colon cancer cells, 85% growth inhibition against lung cancer cells and 76% growth inhibition against breast cancer cells. The whole plant of Mentha spicata displayed in vitro anticancer efficacy against three human cancer cell lines originated from three different tissues. Growth inhibition of 81% was observed against colon cancer cells. The species showed 75% growth inhibition on breast cancer cells and 71% growth inhibition on lung cancer cells. The whole plant of Mentha longifolia suppressed the proliferation of colon cancer cells (92%), breast cancer cells (84%) and lung cancer cells (75%). Similarly, Mentha viridis showed in vitro cytotoxic efficiency against colon (88%), breast (71%) and lung (70%) cancer cells.
In the investigation, all the Mentha species, viz., Mentha arvensis, Mentha longifolia, Mentha spicata, Mentha viridis produced in vitro anticancer efficacy against three human cancer cell lines from colon, breast and lung origin. The data produced by these four species of Mentha was uniform in the sense that all the Mentha species suppressed the proliferation of same human cancer cell lines. Thus, we can say that these Mentha species contain same type of constituents that possess cytotoxic potential for colon, breast and lung cancer cells.
Further, the research is going on in the Division of Biochemistry and Plant Physiology, SKUAST-Jammu to find out the active ingredients in Mentha species that possess anticancer potential and can further be used for the management of cancer. Thus, on the basis of present analysis, author suggested that Jammu people should encourage the consumption of pudina (mint) in their daily meals so as to avoid the risk of cancer. Therefore, we can say that M. species possesses cytotoxic potential mainly against breast, colon and lung cancer and active ingredients from this spice will surely serve as lead molecule (s) in the development of anticancer drugs to provide a great promise and service to cancer patients.
(The author is Assistant Professor (Biochemistry) SKUAST-JAMMU, Main Campus Chatha, Jammu -180009 and presently working on anticancer potential of medicinal plants of Jammu region)
Follow our WhatsApp channel
