Journal of
Pharmacognosy and Phytotherapy

  • Abbreviation: J. Pharmacognosy Phytother.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2141-2502
  • DOI: 10.5897/JPP
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 234

Full Length Research Paper

Anticancer activities and safety evaluation of selected Kenyan plant extracts against breast cancer cell lines

Onyancha Jared M.
  • Onyancha Jared M.
  • Department of Pharmacy, Kenya Methodist University, P. O. Box 267-60200, Meru, Kenya.
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Gikonyo Nicholas K.
  • Gikonyo Nicholas K.
  • Department of Pharmacy and Complementary/Alternative Medicine, Kenyatta University, P. O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Wachira Sabina W.
  • Wachira Sabina W.
  • Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Mwitari Peter G.
  • Mwitari Peter G.
  • Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research, Kenya Medical Research Institute, P. O. Box 54840-00200, Nairobi, Kenya.
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Gicheru Michael M.
  • Gicheru Michael M.
  • Department of Zoological Sciences, Kenyatta University, P. O. Box 43844-00100, Nairobi, Kenya.
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  •  Received: 14 July 2017
  •  Accepted: 20 September 2017
  •  Published: 28 February 2018

Abstract

Breast cancer is a leading cause of deaths among women suffering from cancer in Kenya. The current study was done to determine anticancer activities of medicinal plant extracts against breast cancer cell lines (HCC 1395 and 4T1). Vero cells were used for evaluation of safety of extracts. Thiazoly blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was used in this study. Reference drugs were 5 fluorouracil and cyclophosphamide. Extract concentrations that inhibited growth of cell growth by half (IC50) were estimated using GraphPad prism version 7 and 90 % of extracts showed anticancer activities. Methanol extracts of Uvariodendron anisatum, Fagaropsis angolensis, Combretum tanaense, Hydnora abyssinica and water extract of F. angolensis exhibited remarkable anticancer activities (IC50Ë‚ 30 µg/ml). Methanol extracts of F. angolensis and H. abyssinica demonstrated high selectivity index (SI ≥3). Evaluation for safety, indicated that about 64% of the extracts under this study were non-toxic (CC50 ˃100 µg/ml). Findings from plants in this study support folklore claims. Phytochemical analysis, bioassay guided fractionation and toxicity studies are underway on extracts of C. tanaense, F. angolensis, H. abyssinica and U. anisatum.

Key words: 4TI, ethnomedicine, HCC 1395, IC50 values, medicinal plants, MTT assay, selectivity index, vero E6

 

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This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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