Screening of Plants Used as Traditional Anticancer Remedies in Mkuranga and Same Districts, Tanzania, Using Brine Shrimp Toxicity Bioassay

Abstract

Background Inadequate specialized cancer hospitals and high costs are contributing factors that delay cancer patients from accessing health care services in Tanzania. Consequently, majority of patients are first seen by Traditional Health Practitioners (THPs) before they access specialized services. This study presents ethnomedical information and preliminary evaluation of 25 plant species claimed by THPs in Mkuranga and Same districts of Tanzania on use for treatment of cancer. Literature search and laboratory investigation results are presented to support evaluation. Methods. This study was a single disease ethnomedical enquiry focusing on plants being used for cancer treatment Face-to-face interviews and questionnaires were administered to eight (8) THPs in Mkuranga and Same districts on the claimed plants and their use for management of cancer. Plants were selected based on being frequently mentioned and emphasis given by THPs. Literature search and brine shrimp toxicity (BST) of methanol : dichloromethane (1:1) extracts was used as surrogates to evaluate strength of the claims. Results This study reports 25 plant species used by the THPs in two districts of Tanzania. Eight plants (32%) have been reported in the literature to have activity against cancer cells. BST results revealed, 14 (56%) plants exhibited high toxicity against brine shrimps. The most active plants included Croton pseudopulchellus Pax (LC50 4.2 μg/ml), Dalbergia melanoxylon Guill. & Perr. (LC50 6.8 μg/ml), Loranthus micranthus Linn (LC50 4.0 μg/ml), Ochna mossambicensis Klotzsch (LC50 3.3 μg/ml), and Spirostachys africana Sond. (LC50 4.4 μg/ml); their toxicity was comparable to that of Catharanthus roseus (L) G. Don. (LC50 6.7 μg/ml), an established source of anticancer compounds. Nine other plants had LC50 values between (19.8 and 71.6) μg/ml, indicating also potential to yield anticancer. Conclusion Literature search and BST results provide a strong support of the potential of the claimed plants to yield active anticancer compounds.

Medicinal Plants Used in Traditional Management of Cancer in Uganda: A Review of Ethnobotanical Surveys, Phytochemistry, and Anticancer Studies

“…Most families encountered in this study have reported use in the traditional management of cancer in other countries across the globe. For example, Apocynaceae, Asteraceae, Bignoniaceae, Caricaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Meliaceae, Moraceae, Rutaceae, Sapindaceae, and Solanaceae were cited in Kenya [170], Ethiopia [238], Tanzania [97], and Near East (Arabian Peninsula, Egypt, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Palestinian territories, Syria, and Turkey) [239], Lamiaceae in Morocco [240], and Apocynaceae, Meliaceae, and Malvaceae in Sri Lanka [241].…”

“…Zanthoxylum chalybeum Engl. is used in Ethiopia and Tanzania for the treatment of breast and cervical cancers [97,243], Blighia unijugata Baker is used for the treatment of breast and cervical cancers in Tanzania [97], while Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf is used against colorectal cancer in Kenya [170].…”

“…Methyl salicylate, oleic acid, 2-morpholinophenazine, octadec-9-enoic acid, 2-[(tert-butyldimethylsily)oxy]-1isopropyl-dimethyl-benzene, octadecanoic acid, 1,3dibromo-4,5-dimethylbenzene, 3,7-dimethyl-8-oxo-5dioxa-spiro [5]-3-methyl-undecanoate, 1,2-bis-(trimethylsilyl)benzene, and octadecanoic acid [96] Leaves and stem bark extracts had LC 50 of 539.6 and 389.8 μg/mL in brine shrimp toxicity [97] Cannabis sativa L. Δ 9 -tetrahydrocannabinol, THC (18) [98] THC and other cannabinoids exhibited antitumor effects in animal models of cancer [99]. e acetone extract exhibited more anticancer activity against breast adenocarcinoma (MCF-7), the glioblastoma (SF-268), and the colon adenocarcinoma (HT-29) cells [100] Canarium schweinfurthii Engl.…”

“…Antitumor terpenoid indole alkaloids: vincristine and vinblastine, serpentine, catharanthine, ajmalicine, akuammine, lochnerine, lochnericine, tetrahydroalstonine, 3′,4′-anhydrovinblastine, serpentine, vincaleukoblastine, leurocristine, vincaleurocristine, vincarodine, vincoline, leurocolombine, viramidine, vincathicine, vincubine, isositsirikine, vincolidine, catharanthine, vindoline, tetrahydroalstonine, vindolinine, reserpine, coronaridine, 11methoxy tabersonine, tetrahydroalstonine, vindorosidine, hydroxytyrosol, ferulic acid, chlorogenic acid, kaempferol, trisaccharides, quercetin, and petunidin 3-O-(6-O-pcoumaroyl) [116,117] Cytotoxicity with LC 50 of 6.7 μg/ml in brine shrimp assay [97,118,119] Vindoline from leaf extracts was cytotoxic to HCT-116 colorectal carcinoma cell line at 200 μg/mL [120] Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 9 Limonin, isolimonexic acid methyl ether, ichangin, deacetylnomilin, and obacunone [121] In vitro tumor cytotoxicity of different varieties against gastric cancer cell lines (SGC-7901, BGC-823, and AGS) recorded IC 50 ranging from 20.49 to 368.40 μg/ mL [122]. Antiangiogenic effect was reported [123] Cymbopogon citratus (DC) Stapf Citral (neral and geranial), geraniol and β-myrcene, 6methyl-5-hepten-2-one, and undeca-2-one [124].…”

“…stem bark mixed with approximately equal weights of root barks of Maclura africana (Bureau) corner, Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv., and Warburgia stuhlmannii Engl. is drunk for the treatment of breast, liver, and colon cancers [97]. Euclea natalensis A. DC.…”