IN-VITRO AND IN-VIVO ANTITUMOR-ACTIVITY OF BENZYL ISOTHIOCYANATE - A NATURAL PRODUCT FROM TROPAEOLUM-MAJUS

Cultured cells of Tropaeolum majus produce significant amounts of benz yl glucosinolate which, through enzymatic hydrolysis, results in the p roduction of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC). This study reports on the i n vitro anticancer properties of BITC against a variety of human and m urine tumor cell lines by four independent methods; SRB, MTT, cell cou nting, and clonogenic assays. Regardless of the assay used, BITC showe d promising cytotoxicity in the low micromolar range (0.86 to 9.4 mu M ) against four human ovarian carcinoma cell lines (SKOV-3, 41-M, CHl, CHlcisR), a human lung tumor (H-69), a murine leukemia (L-1210), and a murine plasmacytoma (PC6/sens). The L1210 cells were most sensitive. BITC administered to mice bearing the ADJ/PC6 plasmacytoma subcutaneou s tumor showed toxic effects at a dose of 200 mg/kg (within 24 h of dr ug administration) but no reduction in tumor mass. However, the growth inhibitory properties of BITC against a range of tumor cell types war rant further in vivo antitumor evaluation as well as its biotechnologi cal production.