Dove orchid (Dendrobium crumenatum Swartz) is not known by many people. The orchid only blossoms for once. It has the potential as anticancer candidate. Thus was the research conducted by a team from Biology Faculty of UGM, consisting of Ardaning Nuriliani, Nastiti Wijayanti, Atiek Kusmiyati, Yekti Asih Purwestri and Riski Topriyani.
According to Ardaning Nuriliani, M.Kes., research on dendrobium genus has been done in China, Japan and Africa for drug production. Dendrobium is believed to have anticancer and antitumor potential.
“The dove orchid is of dendrobium genus, but it is not much known here,” said Ardaning on Friday (10/5).
Ardaning said their research was to know the cytotoxity effect of ethanolic extract of the leaves and pseudobulb Dendrobium crumenatum Swartz against cell lines of cervical cancer (HeLa) in vitro as well as to know the antiangiogenesis activity in vivo using korio alantois membrane of chicken eggs with embryo.
Their research through apoptosis induction (biological mechanism which is a programmed death of cells) showed low results. But after antiangiogenesis test in the korio alantois membrane, it showed the anticancer candidate potential.
“The dove orchid is known empirically in traditional drugs and believed as having anticancer potential. But the potential of Dendrobium crumenatum Swartz as anticancer potential has not been proven scientifically,” he said.
Their research has made them entitled for Best Paper Award in The First Annual International Scholar Conference (AISCT) in Taiwan, 27-29 April 2013 for the category of Health and Pharmacy. With the title of the research Growth Inhibition, Apoptosis Induction, And antiangiogenesis Activity of Ethanolic Extract of Dendrobium crumenatum Swarts, they beat other teams from Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Japan.