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Colchicine was extracted from Gloriosa superba seeds using the Super Critical Fluid (CO2) Extraction (SCFE) technology. The seeds were purified upto 99.82% using column chromatography. Colchicine affinity was further investigated for anticancer activity in six human cancer cell lines, i.e., A549, MCF-7, MDA-MB231, PANC-1, HCT116, and SiHa. Purified colchicine showed the least cell cytotoxicity and antiproliferation and caused no G2/M arrest at clinically acceptable concentrations. Mitotic arrest was observed in only A549 and MDA-MB231 cell lines at 60 nM concentration. Our finding indicated the possible use of colchicine at a clinically acceptable dose and provided insight into the science behind microtubule destabilization. However, more studies need to be conducted beforethese findings could be established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gloriosa superba L. (Liliaceae) seeds, known as "kalihari" (Hindi), were phytochemically investigated for colchicine (well known for gout treatment) and other related alkaloid content. Colchicine, 2- demethylcolchicine, 3-demethylcolchicine, and N-formyl-N-deacetylcolchicine were alkaloids isolated from the seeds. The isolated samples have been standardized for their purity with respect to the reference standard using HPLC. The structures were confirmed by NMR spectroscopy and were analyzed by spiking them along with colchicine reference by HPLC. The purity of colchicine, 2- demethylcolchicine, 3- demethylcolchicine and N-formyl-N-deacetylcolchicine were 99.82, 96.78, 98.71, and 98.13% respectively. The compounds were subjected to an anti-inflammatory study by using the formaldehyde inflammagen-induced inflammation model. Oral administration of colchicine at 2, 4, and 6 mg/kg body weight resulted in 48.9, 68.7, and 79.1% inhibition respectively, while 30.9% inhibition was seen in the phenylbutazone 100 mg/kg treated group once daily for a period of 4 days. The results clearly indicated that the colchicine is more effective as an anti-inflammatory agent compared with phenylbutazone, the standard drug used in the study, whereas the oral administration of 6 mg/kg body weight of 2- demethylcolchicine, 3-demethylcolchicine and N-formyl-N-deacetylcolchicine showed very poor activity (41.6, 40.4, and 41.1% activity respectively).

High ligation of the hernial sac is a hallowed and time-honoured concept in inguinal hernia repair and it is considered essential for preventing recurrence. However, this concept has been contested in recent reports. We conducted a prospective study of 186 cases of inguinal hernia repair. In 92 cases the sac was ligated at the neck and excised, in 94 cases the sac was not ligated at all but either simply inverted or excised without ligation. The type of repair was Bassini's repair, Shouldice repair or Lichtenstein's repair. Degree of post-operative pain was significantly less in those cases where sac was not ligated. There were no cases of recurrence in either group at 3 years follow up. Ligation of sac in inguinal hernia surgery is not only unnecessary and time consuming but also leads to increased post-operation pain. Recurrence is unaffected by not ligating the sac.