MELALEUCA QUINQUENERVIA EXTRACTS AND USES OF THE SAME

1 . A Melaleuca quinquenervia extract, which is prepared by extracting Melaleuca quinquenervia with a first polar solvent, wherein the first polar solvent is a C3-C6 alcohol.

2 . The extract as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first polar solvent comprises butanol.

3 . The extract as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the first polar solvent is n-butanol.

4 . The extract as claimed in claim 1 , which is prepared by a method comprising:

(a) extracting Melaleuca quinquenervia with a second polar solvent to provide a first extraction fluid, wherein the second polar solvent is methanol, water, or a combination thereof;

(b) partitioning the first extraction fluid with a first polar solvent and collecting the first polar solvent phase; and

(c) optionally removing the first polar solvent from the first polar solvent phase.

5 . The extract as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the step (a) includes:

(a1) extracting the Melaleuca quinquenervia with methanol to provide a methanol extraction fluid;

(a2) optionally concentrating the methanol extraction fluid to obtain a concentrated solution; and

(a3) adding water into the concentrated solution to obtain the first extraction.

6 . The extract as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the method for preparing the extract further comprises at least one of the following steps prior to the step (b):

(b1′) partitioning the first extraction fluid with a C5-C8 alkane and removing the alkane phase; and

(b2′) partitioning the product of step (b1′) with ethyl acetate and removing the ethyl acetate phase.

7 . The extract as claimed in claim 1 , which is prepared by extracting a leaf and/or a branch with leaves of Melaleuca quinquenervia.

8 . A pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction pathway, comprising a Melaleuca quinquenervia extract as claimed in claim 1 .

9 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 8 , which is for inhibiting the transcription activity of β-catenin and/or inhibiting the combination of β-catenin and T cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF).

10 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 9 , which is for blocking the development of a tumor.

11 . The pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 10 , wherein the tumor is at least one of rectal cancer, breast cancer, brain cancer, esophageal cancer and liver cancer.

12 . A method for inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction pathway in a subject, comprising administering to the subject in need an effective amount of a Melaleuca quinquenervia extract as claimed in claim 1 .

13 . A method for inhibiting Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction pathway in a subject, comprising administering to the subject in need an effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition as claimed in claim 8 .