In vivo anti-cancer activity of RC-18: a plant isolate from Rubia cordifolia, Linn. against a spectrum of experimental tumour models.

Anti-tumour activity of RC-18, a pure isolate from Rubia cordifolia was repeatedly tested in different sets of experiments on a spectrum of experimental murine tumours, viz. P388, L1210, L5178Y, B16 melanoma, Lewis lung carcinoma and sarcoma-180. RC-18 exhibited significant increase in life span of ascites leukaemia P388, L1210, L5178Y and a solid tumour B16 melanoma. However, it failed to show any inhibitory effect on solid tumours, Lewis lung carcinoma and sarcoma 180. Promising results against a spectrum of experimental tumours suggest that RC-18 may lead to the development of a potential anti-cancer agent.