Chemosensitizing Activity Against Human Leukemia Cell of Crude Extracts of Native Camellia(Camellia japonica) in Jeonnam

This study has been undertaken to increase availability of native camellia in Jeonnam as a medicinal resource and to isolate the effective components from them. Multidrug resistance(MDR) by tumor cells is a major obstacle to successful cancer chemotherapy. We report that the crude extracts of camellia flowers, leaves has a chemosensitizing effect that can reverse Pgp-mediated MDR by increasing the intracellular accumulation of drugs. The cytotoxic and chemosensitizing effects of MeOH extract from 12 spp. citrus fruits on the AML-2/D100 were determined using MTT assay. Chemosensitizing effects was screened in the presence of vincristine, a good substrate of Pgp. IC$\sub$50/ for extracts in AML-2/WT was found to be 65∼350$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ whereas the range of its mean IC$\sub$50/ value in Pgp-overexpressing cells (AML-2/Dl00) in the presence of vincristine was 90∼400$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$. Of the extracts tested, mature leaf extract displayed the most potent chemosensitizing effect［IC$\sub$50/;100 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$, CR;1.06, RF;2.97 in the presence of VCR］. This indicates that the toxicity (IC$\sub$50/;288.89$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$) of mature leaf extract is minimal at concentrations required for a complete reversal of the drug resistance. Also, this result indicates that crude extracts of camellia mature leaves would contain some principles which have chemosensitizing activity.