The aim of the study is to investigate the phenolic compounds of methanol extract of Allium porrum L. Aerial parts (MEAP) and introducing the methanolic extract as a candidate for the treatment of cancer in vivo as well as exploring its anti-tumor mechanisms in attacking tumor cells at the molecular level. Isolation of phenolic and flavonoid compounds by column chromatography has been carried out, purified by sephadex LH-20 and their structures were established with the aid of spectroscopic metheods (UV, EI/MS, ESI/MS,1H-NMR and13C-NMR spectroscopy). Eleven phenolic and flavonoid compounds were isolated from the aerial parts of MEAP, and characterized as (quercetin-3-O-β-glucopyranoside-7-O-α-rhamnpyranoside, quercetin-3-O-α-rhamnopyranoside, quercetin-4'-O-β-glucopyranoside, kaempferol-3-O-β-glucopyranoside, kaempferol-7-O-β-glucopyranoside, quercetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and gallic acid.
Forty five female Swiss albino mice were divided into five groups. One group represents the normal control. The four remaining groups were divided as follows: Two groups were injected with Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells intraperitonially the other two were injected intramuscularly (to form solid tumor) representing the positive non treated groups. One group from each model administrated orally the extract at a dose of 300mg/kg b. wt. three days weekly for twenty-one days after 24 hrs from the intraperitonial or intramuscular injection of EAC cells. The influence of the extract on the apoptotic proteins was tested in Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) cells and in solid tumor of the treated groups compared to the non-treated ones. The gene expression of caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2 proteins and DNA fragmentation test were performed in the EAC cells. Hematological profile was conducted on mice's blood in addition to the immunohistochemical determination of P53 protein in solid tumors.