Horse Gram Seed Germination Inhibition Profiles in Response to Antimitotic Compounds

Seed germination inhibition in green gram (Phaseolus radiatus) by compounds inhibitory to cell division has previously formed the basis of an in vitro assay system for the identification of these potential drugs. Presently, we are extending the scope of these studies, using the germinating seeds of another legume, namely horse gram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) as a model system. We report that the horse gram seed germination was maximally inhibited by vinblastine and the cancer palliative herbal drug HST-K drug, derived from Asteracantha longifolia (Patent No. GB2454875 A) as evident from profiles of seed weight and selected hydrolytic enzymes, measured over 24-120h. We propose that the seed germination inhibition assay deserves to be evaluated with different species of seeds for the identification of antimitotic compounds that could serve as potentially efficacious remedies with fewer side effects posed during the treatment of malignant disorders.