RESUMO
Aims: Medicinal plants used by traditional medical practitioners (TMP) to treat cancers are considered safe when used alone or combined with conventional therapy to ensure their effectiveness and eliminate the toxic effects of orthodox medicines. Using cytotoxic and antioxidant studies, the study attempted to assess some of the commonly used medicinal plants used to cure cancer among Yoruba people in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, and Lagos (South-West, Nigeria). Study Design: Samples of commonly utilized anticancer plants obtained from the chosen areas using physical and virtual oral seminars were studied for physiochemical composition and a possible antioxidant and cytotoxic potential to validate the basis for the use of the selected anticancer plants. Methodology: Online academic literature searches were done on the cited plants to identify the already-exploited anticancer plants. The ethanolic extracts of the plant were examined for the presence of bioactive components and their total flavonoid content, with focusing on quercetin detection using thin layer bioautography (TLB) and brine shrimp lethality assay (BSLA) for cytotoxicity. In comparison to quercetin and ascorbic acid, the scavenging of superoxide radical (SOR), hydrogen peroxide, and 2, 2-Diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical activity by a model (most biologically active) of the anticancer plant was also evaluated. Results: There were only twelve anticancer species that were not used in related studies: Lannea egregia, Ficus exasperate, Croton zambesicus, Tetrapleurai tetraptera, Terminalia catappa, Zanthoxylum zanthoxyloides, Plumbago zelanica, Hilleria latifolia, Bryophyllum pinntum, Chromolena odorata, Brysocarpus coccineus and Spondias mombin. The anticancer plants contained bioactive and mineral substances like saponins, protein, lipids, magnesium, calcium, iron, zinc, and a decreased Na/K concentration. The plants had a fair amount of flavonoids and variable levels of cytotoxicity. L. egeregia was regarded as the prototype of the anticancer species due to its profound flavonoid concentration (85.40 µg/mL) and cytotoxicity (9.46 µg/mL) compared to other extracts. The TLB also demonstrated the presence of quercetin, with a dose-dependent antioxidant property. The anticancer model's overall antioxidant activity (34.72 µg/mL) was slightly lower than quercetin (30.44 µg/mL) but higher than ascorbic acid (41.68 µg/mL). Conclusion: The results support the traditional use of anticancer species as nutritional and dietary supplements, whose bioactive compounds are relevant in managing cancer patients. The plant’s bioactive principles need to be characterized in future research.
RESUMO
Aims: It has been shown that aluminium and its compounds accumulate in some tissues causing metabolic dysfunctions. This study investigated the effects of vitamin E administration on certain biochemical and antioxidants indices in rat tissues treated with aluminium chloride (AlCl3). Study Design: Twenty four male Wistar rats with average weight of 160 g were randomly selected into four groups and treated as follows; group A(distilled water), group B (vitamin E only,100 mg/kg. bw/day), group C (AlCl3 only,40 mg/kg. bw/day) and group D (vitamin E and AlCl3), all administered orally in 0.2 ml solution for 21 days. Methodology: Biochemical and antioxidant indices were evaluated using standard methods. Results: Results showed that treatment with AlCl3 only (group C) caused significant (P=.05) decreases in Red Blood Cell (WBC) count, Packed Cell Volume (PCV), serum total protein and High Density Lipoprotein-Cholesterol ( HDL-C) with increases in White Blood Cell (WBC) count, triglyceride and total cholesterol. It also elicits significant (P=.05) increases in some liver and kidney indices such as Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT), Gamma Glutamyl Transferase (GGT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities, serum urea and creatinine concentrations. Analysis of antioxidant indices of the liver, kidney, brain and testis also revealed decreases in activities of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Catalase (CAT) and Reduced Glutathione (GSH) concentration with corresponding significant (P=.05) increases in Malondialdehyde (MDA) level by AlCl3 administration. In contrast, treatment with vitamin E and AlCl3 (group D) showed improved in metabolic alterations observed in AlCl3 intoxication as these indices were reversed with greater effects observed in group B. Conclusion: Results obtained are indication of antioxidative and tissue protective effects of vitamin E against dyslipidemia and heamatological disorder induced by (AlCl3).