With wide spread incidence of cancer and microbial infectious diseases, finding a cure for them assumes immense importance. Under ailopathic system of medicines chemotherapeutic drugs are used for treating such diseases.

Selective centre ! or reduction in undesired activation of certain molecules in the affected tissues or organs by photo chemical and photo physical methods are also practiced. Such modes of treatment are often associated with toxic side effect causing the patient considerable discomfort.

A holistic approach is now made for the treatment and cure of many fatal diseases. Interest in traditional medicines and cures used for treatment of diseases for generations has now been renewed. Study of such alternate forms of medicines is now carried out in a more systematic and scientific manner to identify and isolate novel compounds exhibiting medicinal properties and values.

PhyJhnfhus urinaria, a weed growing through out India has been reported to possess astringent, deobstrue nt, diuretic, febrifugal, antiseptic and antiviral <BR> <BR> <BR> properties in traditional medicine practices. However, there are no reports on its antitumorr properties. Plant products, synthetic molecules, and biological products are currently being tested on tumour cell lines to detect the antiproliferative properties. We have shown that Phyllanthus urinaria possesses antiproiiferative properties during the course of such an assay.

BACKGROUND ART : Several anticancer agents flave been isulated from plant sources. These agents are found to retard cell growth by binding to the DNA of the ce hereby inhibiting proliferation. Alternately these agents may act on key pathways in the cell signaling cascade and inhibit proliferation by blocking the action of such message molecules.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION : The object of this invention is to produce an anticancer drug having maximum potency with minimum possible side effects.

Anti-cancer or antipro liferative action of Phyllanthus urinaria, a herb widely avaiiable in India has been the subject of study by the inventors. A dried powder of the whole plant was subjected to organic solvent extraction. Extracts with many solvents exhibited inhibitory or antiproliferative activity, but maximum potency or efficacy was shown by the extract obtained with ethyl acetate as a solvent particularly on Alveolar epitheliai carcinoma cefl line hereinafter referred as HEP-2.

Cytotoxicity of this extract was assayed [thymidine incorporation and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. Cytotoxicity was more pronounced during the synthesis phase of cell cycle, and it was observed that the extract not

only caused any adverse effect on the proliferation of (normal, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC's) but aiso resulted in a mitogenic response. During the course of our investigation on activity guided fractionation of this plant extract we have isolated a novel lignan compound of the formula exhibiting antiproliferative activity.

Simple invitro cell cluture, biological screening and bioassays for monitoring proliferation of cancer cell lines in the presence of this plant extract were conducted and compared with control tests to determine the antiprotiferative effect at non-toxic doses. Different extracts having varied concentration ranges were tested. Subsequently, assays at molecular level were also conducted to determine the mode of action and the type of signal effected within the cancerous cells prior to cell death.

Dried powder of Phyllanthas urinaria was extracted with 70% ethanol and the extract concentrated to a semi solid mass. The novel lignan compound active against cancerous cells is extracted from this ethyl alcohol extract by treatment with any solvents selected from water, methanol, acetone, ethylene glycol and ethylacetate either alone or in combination with each other. Maximum yield is shown by ethyl acetate extraction step. High performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) fraction and subsequent testing and screening of each fraction for their biological activity such as antiproliferation. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells proliferation and antimicrobial properties ! ed to the identication of the active fraction which was further purified.

The structure of the active compound was then determined by NMR spectroscopy, and electroscopy ionization mass spectrometry. The active compound is identified as iignan compounds of the structure ! formula shown beiow. This compound is novel and has not been reported earlier to this work.

This invention therefore rotates to a substituted methylenedioxylignan compound of the formula

Optionally, this invention relates to a lignam compound when extracted from Phyllanthus urinaria.

This invention also includes a process for the extraction ! of the above lignan compounds from Phyllanthus urinaria.

BEST METHOD OF CARRYING OUT THE lINVENTION : The following description relates to specific and preferred embodiments of the invention.

Extraction of the active principle from Phyllanthus urinaria: The cleaned and dried plant materiat is subjected to ethyl alcohol extraction. Any known solvent extraction methods may be utilized for such extraction. The solvent used may be ethyl alcohol of 70% purity. Absolute alcohol may also be used. The alcoholic extract is concentrated by distilling off the solvent. The semisolid pasty mass obtained hereafter is then extracted with solvents like water, methanol, ethyl acetate and the like. The inhibitory effect of the active principle extracted by different solvents is in the order shown hereinafter. Ethylacetate > ethylene glycol> acetone > methanol > water. It is therefore Gf'1' 'f ( G t'tlliit i ' fifi SfGfil'il 'lV principle purification of the active fraction.

The active fraction obtained by the extraction step described herein was further purified by conventional silica gel column chromatographic separation. A combination of hydrocarbons like hexane-ethyl acetate (3: 10, hexane-ethyl acetate (ethyl acetate (1006) and methanol-ethyl acetate (1: 19) were tested on thin layer chromatography (TLC). The best solvent is found to be hexane-ethyl acetate (3: 1) mixture. The fraction elated from the silica get column with this solvent mixture was collected and concentrated under reduced pressure. Homogenity of the substance is again tested by TLC. Coiumn chromatogrpahic separation is repeated till a fraction containing the lignan compound of our invention is obtained. High performance liquid chromatography purified the compound further. Preferab ! y, HPLC purification has been carried out under water-acetonitrile gradient at flow rate of 4cumin.

NMR and electrospray ionization mass spectrometric data confirmed the structure to the lignan compound.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS : The attached figures represent graphs based on a time course study.

Figure 1 shows the antiproliferative effect of the extract obtained by various solvents on HEP-2 cell line.

HEP-2HEP-2 (Alveolar epithelial Carcinoma cell line) cells are grown in flasks in F-2 Dulbecco's Modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) supplimented with 10% serum (pH 7. 4). Amphotericin (3µg/ml), Gentamycin (400 µg/ml), Streptomycin (250 µg/ml) and Pencillin (250 units/ml) in a CO2 inhibitor.

Graph drawn based on this study shows that cells treated with the ethyl acetate extract exhibited 80% death on day 1 and 60% death on day 2 when compared with the control. In Figure 1, C represents the control ; SC and T stand for acetone solvent and extract; SC1 and T1 for ethylene glycol solvent and extract and SC and T ? represent eihyl acetate solvent and extract.

Figure 2 is a graph based on dose response study of ethyl acetate extract Pry_f'9h nj ri 1-iF_P.. ? r1&num a b j-h !' !'lCl 1l7t'17. 11 tIIS graph C stands for the control, SC the solvent control, 1 : 100, 1 : 5Q, 1: 1 diluted extract and UD the undiluted extract.

This time course study showed that the antiproliferate effect of the ethyl acetate extract of 1:1 dilution and undiluted concentration was active at a very early time point. The effect was observed within the first hour of exposure.

There was 50% reduction of [3H] thymidine incorporation at the fifth hour of incorporation.

Obvious equivalents and alterations known to persons skilled in the art are within the scope of the invention.