Efficient evaluation of healthy tea, Gromwell seed against tumor promoting stage

In our continuous search for anti-tumor promoting, chemopreventive active potency from natural source material, a kind of healthy tea, Gromwell seed (Coix lachryma-jobi) ext. have been screened using the in vitro synerigestic assay indicated by inhibitory effects on the induction of Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) by TPA. In assay,Gromwell seed aqueous extract and Hot aqueous extract exhibited the potential inhibitory effects on EBV-EA activation without strong cytotoxicity on Raji cells. In our experimental system, the inhibitory effects of both Gromwell extracts were greater than that of beta-carotene, which is known anti-tumor promoting agent and/or chemopreventive agent. These compounds were evaluated for their in vitro inhibitory effect on EBV-EA activation induced by TPA. The percentage of the inhibition of TPA-induced EBV-EA activation for these material were 60% and 30% at concentration 100µg. Based on the results obtained in vitro, we studied the inhibitory effect of compounds, in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test of mouse skin papillomas using DMBA as an initiator and TPA as a potential promoter. The control animals showed a 100% incidence of papillomas at 20 weeks after DMBA-TPA tumor promotion, while treatment with compounds reduced the percentage of number of tumor to 60% after 20 weeks. Results from in vitro and in vivo studies showing chemopreventive activity against TPA promoting stage and These data suggest that compounds might be a functional material for chemopreventive tea as well as fruits and vegetables.