Exploring Anticancer Potential of Camptothecin Isolated from Nothapodytes Nimmonianain the Treatment of Prostate and Lung Carcinoma

Background: Cancer is a life-threatening disease which is a major threat to global health which continues to affect predominantly in developing nations. Present research work has been oriented towards the determination of the anticancer potential of camptothecin (CPT) as herbal medicine for the treatment of prostate and lung carcinoma. Methods: Structural determination of camptothecin has been performed by different analytical techniques where anticancer potential was tested by MTT assay, Flow cytometry and DAPI on A549 and LNCaP cells lines. Results: FTIR spectra of camptothecin showed peaks related to specific structure which is nearly equal to standard structure of CPT. NMR spectra of camptothecin showed specific peaks in the region of delta 8.686 - 5.279, the signals of H-7 related to structural features similar to camptothecin. LCMS spectra of camptothecin showed mean retention time at 3.620 and covered 100 % area along with mass spectra gives precursor m/z peak at 349.2 [M+H]+ matches to standard molecular weight of camptothecin. CPT has been used as competent alternative to systemic chemotherapy to cure lung and prostate carcinoma having IC50 value 3.421 μg /ml and 5.253μg /ml respectively. CPT successfully induces apoptosis in A549 and LNCaP cell lines 72.12 ± 3.45 % and 66.41 ± 4.50 % as compared to control 4.28 ± 1.78 and 1.52 ± 0.58 respectively which was proved by DAPI and flow cytometry. Conclusions: Chemical fingerprinting and structural elucidation confirmed that isolated moiety was camptothecin and it has great potential in treatment of lung and prostate carcinoma as a competent alternative to chemotherapy in the form of herbal medicine.