The antitumour activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of the leaf (PCL) and stem bark (PCB) of Prosopis cineraria (L.) in Swiss albino mice was evaluated against an Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) tumour model. The activity was assessed using survival time, peritoneal cells, haematological studies, lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S-transferase, solid tumour mass and in vitro cytotoxicity. PCL and PCB were found to be potent and possessed significant cytotoxicity towards EAC tumour cells.

A comparative study of the leaflets of two domestic species of Prosopis is reported. Both the species, Prosopis cineraria and Prosopis juliflora, have been reported to possess antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and the most concerning anticancer properties. In view of its medicinal importance and taxonomic confusion, the individual morphological and histological characteristics of these two species have been described through certain parameters such as structural profile of the leaflets, stomatal morphology, venation pattern, petiolule and vascular system of the rachis. Evaluation of the fresh and anatomical sections of the leaves of both species was carried out to determine its macro-and microscopical (histological) characters. The studies indicated the presence of bipinnately compound leaf, an entire margin, apiculate apex, obtuse base, reticulate venation, thick and straight anticlinal walled epidermal cells, prismatic type of calcium oxalate crystals in the mesophyll tissue, dense deposition of tannin content and paracytic type stomata in the P. cineraria, whereas P. juliflora has a bipinnately compound leaf with an entire margin, blunt apex, round base, reticulate venation, thick and straight walled epidermal cells, large mucilage cavities in the mesophyll tissue and paracytic type stomata. The above findings provided referential information for identification of the species P. cineraria and P. juliflora.

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Naphthylisoquinoline alkaloid-containing extracts [1-20] of four species of the genus Ancistrocladus (A. barteri, A. heyneanus, A. robertsoniorum, and A. tectorius) and of Triphyophyllum peltatum have been examined for their antiplasmodial activity against asexual erythrocytic forms of Plasmodium falciparum (NF 54, clone A1A9) and P. berghei (Anka) in vitro. Incorporation of 3 H-hypoxanthine was measured in the presence of the test substances. The above mentioned plant species are used in several countries of the pantropical area against fevers and malaria. Five of the examined extracts displayed high growth inhibiting activity in the P. falciparum system: CH 2 Cl 2 /NH 3 bark extract of T. peltatum [20], EtOH leaf extract of A. barteri [4], CH 2 Cl 2 leaf [14] and CH 2 Cl 2 /NH 3 bark [15] extracts of A. tectorius, and CH 2 Cl 2 leaf [17] extract of T. peltatum). These extracts (IC 50 < 1 µg/ml) [4, 14, 15, 17, and 20] were further examined in the P. berghei system. Two of them (the CH 2 Cl 2 /NH 3 bark extracts of A. tectorius [15] and T. peltatum [20]) were proven to be highly active in both test systems. These findings confirm that extracts of species belonging to the Ancistrocladaceae and the Dioncophyllaceae have a considerable antiplasmodial capacity.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a large group of calcium-dependent zinc containing endopeptidases which are mainly concerned with the remodeling of tissue along with degradation of the extracellular matrix. At the present scenario, there is knowledge of about 26 MMPs which are found to be highly regulated by the growth hormones, cytokines, etc., present within the body. At times of normal homeostasis, their levels within the body are low, and their number usually increases at times of pathological conditions. Its generation is known to occur from the pro-inflammatory cells and connective tissues. They may even lead to the process of apoptosis by its interactions with surface receptors. In the clinical trials sectors, various MMPs along with their inhibitors are examined to import the properties of being a high biomarker in the cancer diagnosis, antiangiogenic agents, various other disorders such as chronic allograft nephropathy, diabetic nephropathy, cardiovascular diseases, neuropathic pain, wound healing, angiogenesis processes, immune response, corneal ulceration, embryonic development, and nervous system disorders. As a result, enormous number of studies on this particular enzyme in the marking of cancer and their elevation in the above-mentioned diseases has to be carried out so that it would remain as a useful tool in their diagnosis. The present work is designed to emphasize the concise review of MMPs, in particularly MMP-2 and MMP-9 along with their variant roles, keeping in mind, that it would be advantageous for the researchers to bring out more promising results and to intensify diagnosis of various infirmities, especially in cancer.