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In this chapter, the traditional uses, the phytochemistry, and the cytotoxic potential of Albizia adianthifolia (Schum.) (Fabaceae) have been provided. The plant is traditionally used to treat sexually transmitted infections, gastrointestinal tract disorders, headaches, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, respiratory disorders, injuries, pain, and female fertility problems. Several pharmacological studies have demonstrated the activity of botanicals from different parts of this plant against human cancer cell lines. Phytochemical studies of the plant revealed 26 compounds belonging to terpenoids, phenolics, and alkaloids. Their cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines has been reported. Botanicals and phytochemicals from A. adianthifolia are potential sources of cytotoxic drugs to fight cancers including the refractory phenotypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raphia vinifera is widely used to treat several diseases including digestive disorders, dysentery, and genitourinary infections. In this study, the mineral contents, the cytotoxicity, and the toxicological effect of the crude CHCl3/MeOH extract (RVM) from the mesocarp of Raphia vinifera were evaluated. The mineral contents were evaluated using the method described by the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC). The cytotoxicity of both extract and chemical compounds from the plants was determined by a resazurin reduction assay (RRA). The toxicological studies were carried out using the experimental procedure of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). After killing the rats, biochemical, histopathological, and hematological studies were performed. The result indicated that RVM is rich in zinc (6.52 mg/100 g of DM) and sodium (194.5 mg/100 g of DM). RVM had a cytotoxicity effect with IC50 values lower than 30 μg/mL in 18/18 cancer cell lines tested. These recorded IC50 values were between 12.35 µg/mL (toward CCRF-CEM leukemia cells) and 26.66 µg/mL (toward SKMel-505 BRAF wild-type melanoma cells). Raphvinin 4 displayed good cytotoxicity against MaMel-80aBRAF-V600E homozygous mutant with the IC50 of 10.42 μM. RVM was relatively nontoxic to rats, the median lethal dose (DL50) being above 5000 mg/kg body weight. However, during the oral administration period extending for 28 days, precautions should be taken due to the increase in urinary creatinine level and decrease in spleen weight in the male rats given the highest dose (1000 mg/kg) of extract. Conclusively, the extract of Raphia vinifera is weakly toxic in rats and could be further used in the development of anticancer phytomedicines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tetrapleura tetraptera is an African medicinal spice used in traditional medicine to treat several ailments including cancer. The present study was designed to evaluate the cytotoxicity of the dichloromethane-methanol (1:1) extract of the fruits of Tetrapleura tetraptera (TTF) and its constituents: (3 R , 4 S)-3,4-dimethyloxetan-2-one (1), luteolin (2), stigmasterol (4), 3- O -[6′- O -undecanoyl- β - D -glucopyranosyl]stigmasterol (6), olean-12-en-3- β - O - D -glucopyranoside (7), 3- O - β - D -glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)- β - D -glucopyranosylurs-12-en-28-oic acid (8), 3- O - β - D -glucopyranosyl-(1 → 3)- β - D -glucopyranosyl-27-hydroxyolean-12-ene-28-oic acid (9), methyl- O - β - D -glucopyranoside (10), β - D -fructofuranosyl-(2 → 1)- β - D -glucopyranoside (11) towards a panel of cancer cell lines including MDR phenotypes. The cellular mode of induction of apoptosis by TTF and compound 7 was further investigated. The resazurin reduction assay (RRA) was applied to determine the cytotoxicity of the studied samples. The cell cycle (PI staining), apoptosis (annexin V/PI staining), mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP; JC-1) and reactive oxygen species (ROS; H 2 DCFH-DA) were measured by flow cytometry. Column chromatography was used for the purification of TTF, whilst nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis was applied for structural elucidation. The botanical, TTF and the phytochemicals, 2 , 7 , 8 and 9 as well as doxorubicin exerted cytotoxicity against 9 cancer cell lines including drug-sensitive and drug resistant phenotypes. TTF, compound 7 and doxorubicin were the most active samples, and displayed IC 50 values ranging from 10.27 μg/mL (in CCRF-CEM leukemia cells) to 23.61 μg/mL (against HCT116 p53 −/− colon adenocarcinoma cells) for TTF, from 4.76 μM (against CCRF-CEM cells) to 12.92 μM (against HepG2 hepatocarcinoma cells) for compound 7 , and from 0.02 μM (against CCRF-CEM cells) to 122.96 μM (against CEM/ADR5000 cells) for doxorubicin. TTF induced apoptosis in CCRF-CEM cells through MMP alteration and increased ROS production while compound 7 induced apoptosis mediated by caspases activation, MMP alteration and increased ROS production. Tetrapleura tetraptera and some of its constituents, mostly compound 7 are good cytotoxic natural products that should be explored in depth to develop new drugs to fight cancers. The botanical, TTF and the phytochemicals, 2 , 7 , 8 and 9 had cytotoxic effect against the nine cancer cell lines tested including drug-sensitive and drug resistant phenotypes. TTF and compounds 7 had the best activities. TTF induced apoptosis in CCRF-CEM cells through MMP alteration and increased ROS production while compound 7 induced apoptosis mediated by caspases activation, MMP alteration and increased ROS production. Image 1 • The cytotoxicity of Tetrapleura tetraptera (TTF) fruit extract and compounds was evaluated. • TTF and compounds, 2 , 7 , 8 and 9 had cytotoxic effects against the 9 cancer cell lines tested. • TTF and compounds 7 had the best activities and induced apoptosis in CCRF-CEM cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]