Scholarship at UWindsor

Characterizing the Anti-Cancer Efficacy of Lakshmi Taru Extract on Human Melanoma Cells

Skin cancers such as melanoma are the most common form of cancer in the world. When treating patients, systemic therapy is traditionally used due to the limited success of radiation therapy and surgery. However, current chemotherapeutics have limited efficacy and high toxicity to healthy cells. Thus, there is a need to discover effective complementary therapies for use alongside standard chemotherapeutics. Natural extracts have been shown to have anti-cancer activity in the past. Lakshmi Taru extract from Simarouba glauca or “Paradise Tree” is one such extract that has been shown to possess anti-cancer activity. In other studies, it has been evaluated to show anti-cancer potential on leukaemic cancer cell lines. However, it has not been investigated for use to treat human melanoma. Thus, for the first time, we characterized Lakshmi Taru extract efficacy in human melanoma cell lines A375 and G361 and its selective induction of apoptosis. In addition, the mechanisms behind its anti-cancer activity were elucidated. Furthermore, the interaction of Lakshmi Taru extract with standard chemotherapeutics such as paclitaxel, cisplatin, and dacarbazine was evaluated, indicating that there is no negative interaction and instead, a slight enhancement of anti-cancer activity. These results indicate that Lakshmi Taru extract has the potential to be used as a selective and efficacious melanoma treatment either alone or in combination with current standards of care. Thus, our study on the use of Lakshmi Taru extract has the potential to build healthier communities by providing scientific evidence of its efficacy in treating one of the most deadly cancers in the world.