Article: COMPARATIVE IN-VITRO ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF THANGA PARPAM (SIDDHA GOLD DRUG) IN BREAST, LIVER, PROSTATE AND LUNG CANCER CELL LINES

Article Category: Original Research articles

DOI: 10.7897/2277-4343.120115

Pages: 64-67

Author: Sulthan Shajahan, Arul Amuthan *

Abstract: Thanga parpam is a gold nanoparticle used in Siddha for many chronic and challenging diseases including cancers. Clinically it shows benefit in some cancer types, but not to all types. This study was aimed to compare the in-vitro anticancer activity of Thanga parpam in various cancer cell lines. The particle size and elements were evaluated using Scanning Electron Microscope coupled with Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy. Thanga parpam was added to breast adenocarcinoma cells, Human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, Human prostate cancer cells and Human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cells for 24 hours. MTT assay was used to evaluate the cell viability. Graph was drawn from the % cell viability and dose required to kill 50 % cells was calculated. The gold particles are irregular disk shaped, but agglomerated to each other and not in uniform size. The particle size varies from 17.8 nm – 448 nm. About 9.3% of gold element was present in oxide and sulfide form. It showed dose dependent killing effect on all cancer cell lines. IC50% value was 0.63, 3.51, 6.65 and 11.01 µg/ml for breast, liver, prostate and lung cancer cells respectively. Thanga parpam is a potent anticancer drug to all the four cancer cells, however higher efficacy was observed in breast, liver and prostate cancer cells. 

Keyword: Siddha, Ayurveda, metal, gold, cancer, breast cancer, gold nanoparticle