INHIBITION OF GLYCOLYSIS AND RESPIRATION OF SARCOMA-180 CELLS BY ECHITAMINE CHLORIDE

Malignant tumors are known to exhibit high rates of glycolytic activit y leading to high production of lactic acid. Hence, neoplastic cells h ave elevated activity of enzymes responsible for glycolysis. Echitamin e chloride, an indole alkaloid extracted from the bark of Alstonia sch olaris, has been reported to have a highly promising anticancer activi ty against fibrosarcoma in rats. In the present study, the effect of e chitamine chloride on energy metabolism of S-180 cells is investigated to have a better understanding on the mode of action of echitamine ch loride. The effect of echitamine chloride on the mitochondrial and cel lular respiration of 8-180 cells was studied. Also, the effects on glu cose utilization, pyruvate utilization and lactate formation were stud ied on whole 8-180 cells and 8-180 cell-free homogenate. The levels of glycolytic enzymes such as hexokinase and lactate dehydrogenase were estimated in which particular emphasis has been laid on hexokinase whi ch occurs both in cytosolic and particulate forms in neoplastic cells. Hence the differential effect of echitamine chloride on the levels of total, cytosolic and particulate hexokinase has been investigated. In conclusion, echitamine chloride affects both cellular and mitochondri al respiration, leading to reduction of the cellular energy pool and t hereby resulting in the loss of viability of 8-180 cells.