Cytotoxicity Against Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Processed and Unprocessed Gamboge

Main Article Content

Ronnachai Poowanna
Somsak Nualkaew
Natsajee Nualkaew

Abstract

Introduction: Garcinia hanburuyi Hook. f. resin or gamboge is a Thai crude drug which has to be treated in order to detoxified prior to use by Thai traditional medicine processing so called “Sa-Tu”. There is no scientific evidence proving of toxic reduction of gamboges by Sa-Tu. This work was aimed to determine the toxicity of treated and untreated gamboge to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Materials and Method: Gamboge was treated by heating in 3 different methods and assayed for cell viability to PBMC compared with the untreated gamboge and gambogic acid (GA). Results: Untreated gamboge exhibited 3-6 folds more toxic than all treated gamboges against PBMC. At low concentration of treated gamboges which contain GA 0.0028 – 0.0159 µM showed PBMC proliferation, while higher concentration of GA (0.29 - 0.41 µM) in treated gamboges were toxic to PBMC and caused cell death when the concentration of GA in gamboge was higher than 1.14 µM.  Conclusion: Treated gamboges by 3 Sa-Tu methods reduced toxicity to PBMC. The decreasing of cytotoxicity of treated gamboge supported Thai traditional knowledge for treatment of gamboge. Further study should be performed to explain mechanisms of cytotoxicity and to identify the possible synergistic toxic compounds in the untreated gamboge.

Article Details

Section
Pharmaceutical Sciences

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