Background: Diseases in their essence are non-curable and the underlying pathogenesis is bidirectional of inflammation and oxidative stress. Fighting oxidative stress and inflammation should be the target for any first-line therapy, perhaps via chemical or herbal therapy. In the present study, we aimed to identify the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Saussurea costus roots. The study aimed to harness S. costus plant as antimicrobial via assessment of its antibacterial efficacy against pathogens by disc diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) tests. 
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Methods: Alcoholic extract of S. costus roots was tested for antioxidant activity using diphenyl picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and antibacterial effects on a few common bacterial species (Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Proteus spp.). 
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Result: The contents of S. costus extracts revealed of the presence of therapeutic principle components with variety of medicinal effects, including alkaloids, terpenoid, phenols and others. Different concentration of extracts have comparable antioxidant activity to ascorbic acid (81.96%). Similarly, different concentrations of the extract have confirmed antibacterial activity against&nbsp; Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli with no impacts on Proteus spp. 
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Phytochemical Screening, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Properties of Alcoholic Extract of Saussurea costus Roots

Background: Breast cancer is an important problem in human females and therapies used for treatment often found to produce side effects. The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of Saussurea costus root extract (SC) against metastatic breast cancer to the lungs. 
 
Methods: The anti-neoplastic activity of SC extract was assessed by calculating the % cytotoxicity on Leydig cell testicular tumour cells-540 (LC-540). The anti-metastatic effect of SC extract at 3 different doses (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg BW) for a period of 18 weeks against 12-dimethylbenz (a) anthracene (DMBA) induced mammary tumours in Sprague Dawley (SD) female rats was studied through radiography, gross lesion scoring, histopathology and immunohistochemistry (MMP-9). 
 
Result: SC extract exhibited the highest anti-neoplastic activity in a time and concentration-dependent manner. After 72 h of duration SC extract exhibited highest anti-neoplastic activity at 200 &mu;g of concentration. On radiological and gross pathological examination, the inhibition of metastases was maximal in the rats treated with highest dose of the extract as compared with only DMBA treated group. The histopathological changes and immunohistochemical expression of metastases marker MMP-9 in lung tissue were more severe in the rats treated with DMBA only and were reduced in the groups treated with SC extract in a dose-dependent manner. SC extract has potential anti-neoplastic activity and prevents the rate of metastases from mammary tumours to lungs. Further research in exploring the possible therapeutic usage of SC extract against various neoplastic conditions is warranted.

Prevention of DMBA-induced Mammary Tumors from Pulmonary Metastases by Saussurea costus (Falc.) Lipsc Root Ethanolic Extract in Sprague Dawley Rats