Effect Of Active Ingredients Of Solanum torvum (Devil’s Fig) For The Treatment Of

Malignant Melanoma Cells

By: John Muñoz

Presentation 4

What is Solanum torvum?

• A plant with a height of two to three meters with a base of five centimeters.

• A shrub usually found in the tropics. Highly toxic and destructive weed when mature. On the other hand, the immature fruit is used for consumption in different countries.

• Other uses of the plant are for treatment of diabetes and diverse skin diseases.

What is epithelial cancer?

• Epithelial cancer is a dangerous disease if not detected in time, and treated, could possibly lead to death. There are three types of skin cancers: – Basal carcinoma cancer: which starts in the base

cells of the epidermis and moves down. – Squamous cell carcinoma: affecting the squamous

cells (top cells of the epidermis). – Malignant melanoma: is the third type of epithelial

cancer and the most dangerous since it can spread through the body of the individual, usually taking root in overgrown moles.

Problem

• Is there an Active ingredient in the extract of Solanum torvum for the treatment of Malignant melanoma cancer cells?

Hypothesis

• The diverse active ingredients in the plant extract of the Solanum torvum, lead for the future treatment of Malignant melanoma without exposing the patient to severe side effects.

Methodology • The chemical base of the Solanum torvum will be revised for

the possible active ingredients of the plant. • The extract will be made of all components of the specimen:

leaves, roots, and fruit (immature and ripe).• Using the extracts I will observe quantitatively, in vitro, the

effect of them in the cancer cells’ growth. Using the method of Mosaic Blue Assay.

• My control group will be a group of Malignant melanoma cells growing without the addition of the extracts.

• The experimental group will be Malignant melanoma cells growing in the Mosaic Blue Assay treated with the extracts of each extract.

• Analyze the results in the growth of the cells

Analyze the results

• I will be checking the growth of the cells with a florescent plate reader that activates with the dye used in the Mosaic Blue Array.

• Then I will compare the different components of the plant. Which extract worked best and why and the active ingredient of the extract.

Picture from: http://www.mosaiclabs.com/test_invitro

ReferenceMosaic Laboratories [internet]. [2010] Lake Forest (CA):Mosaic Laboratories; [cited 2012 July 5] Available in:http://www.mosaiclabs.com/pics/tests/blue-array.jpg Philippines medicinal plants [internet]. [2012] Philippines medicinal plants; [cited 2012 July 5] Available in:http://www.stuartxchange.com/TandangAso.html American Cancer Society [internet]. [2012] American Cancer Society [cited 2012 July 6] Available in:http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/CancerCauses/SunandUVExposure/skin-cancer-facts MedicineNet.com [internet]. [N/A]MedicineNet.com [cited 2012 July 6] Available in:http://www.medicinenet.com/melanoma/article.htm United States Department of Agriculture [internet]. [N/A]United Stated Department of Agriculture [cited 2012 July 7] Available in: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=SOTO4

QUESTIONS?