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African pepper, bitter kola top list of local cancer-bursting plants

MORE researches are confirming the efficacy of African pepper, bitter leaf, bitter kola, lime, lemon, garlic, tomatoes, grapes and other local plants in the management of cancer.  In fact, results of recent work by Nigerian researchers published in Annals of Biological Research revealed that quite a number of plants from the 73 species, especially the leaves, roots, barks and seeds studied are efficient in the management of cancer.

The study is titled “Ethnobotanical survey of anti-cancer plants in Ogun State, Nigeria.”

The Nigerian researchers from the Department of Biological Sciences, Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State; and Department of Plant Science and Applied Zoology, Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, found that the prominent plant species in the recipes are: African pepper (Xylopia aethopica); Bitter kola (Garcinca kola); Sausage tree (Kigelia africana); Anthocleista djalonensis (Sapo in Yoruba, Kwari in Hausa, Okpokolo in Ibo); Citrus species (orange, grapefruit, tangerine, lime and lemon); and Allium species (garlic, onion, shallot) genera which are indicative of their importance in the management of the disease.

Xylopia aethiopica is commonly called Ethiopian pepper, African pepper or Guinea pepper. It is of the plant family Annonaceae. The Edo calls it Unien, it is Atta in Ibibio/Efik, Uda in Igbo, Urieren in Urhobo, and Eeru in Yoruba. The stem bark, fruits, seeds and roots are used for stomach-aches, dysentery, bronchitis, cancer, ulcers, fever and debility, rheumatism, post-partum management and fertility-enhancing, and vermifuge.

Garcinia kola is a fruit-bearing tree that belongs to the family Guttiferae. It is found in moist forests and grows as a medium sized tree up to 14m high. The plant is commonly called “bitter kola” in Nigeria because of the bitter taste of its seeds. Garcinia kola seed (hereafter referred to as GKS) has long been used in sub-Saharan Africa as an antidote for ingested poison, and as a cure for a number of ailments and conditions such as abdominal colicky pain, chest cold, cough and hepatitis.

The documented and suggested clinical uses of GKS include drug detoxification, bronchodilation (for asthma), liver disorders, male virility, blood sugar regulation, lipid disorders, infectious diseases, boosting of immune system and weight reduction. Most of the reported bioactivities associated with GKS are believed to be related to the presence of biflavonoids, which are well known for their antioxidant activities.

Scientists have also found that the sausage tree (Kigelia africana/pinnata) could be effectively used to treat cancers.
According to ethnobotany and recent scientific work of Prof. P. J. Houghton of the Pharmacognosy Research Laboratories, Department of Pharmacy, King’s College London, “experiments into the effect of Kigelia extracts and some of the pure compounds contained therein, on micro-organisms and cancer cells have shown that the traditional use of this plant is given considerable justification. In addition, there exists evidence for its anti-inflammatory reputation.”
Investigation into the biological activity of Kigelia pinnata has focused on its antibacterial activity and its cytotoxic effects against cancer cell lines. These are related to the traditional uses of bark and fruit extracts for treating diseases caused by micro-organisms and as a remedy for skin cancer.
Anthocleista djalonensis is of the plant family Loganiaceae. It is called Sapo (Yoruba), Kwari (Hausa), and Okpokolo (Igbo). All parts of Anthocleista djalonensis are active pharmacologically, but especially the root, which is most often used. It is diuretic and vigorously purgative, and in Ivory Coast used as a poison-antidote, for leprosy, as an emmenagogue (stimulates mensuration), abortifacient, and in treatment of oedemas and elephantiasis of the scrotum. A root decoction is taken in Sierra Leone for chest-pains, and for constipation and gonorrhoea. A hot water extract of the root has been used in Nigeria for women suffering from infertility and irregular painful menstruation; effectiveness remains unclear, but pain is said to be reduced.

It has been shown that incorporating plenty of citrus fruits such as oranges, tangerine and grapefruit in the daily diet plan may offer another important yet lesser known nutritional bonus: citrus limonoids.

A study published 2005 showed that citrus limonoids help fight cancers of the mouth, skin, lung, breast, stomach and colon in laboratory tests with animals and with human cells.

Studies have further shown that limonoids inhibit the development of cancer in laboratory animals and in human breast cancer cells as well as reducing cholesterol.

Garlic (Allium sativum) is of plant family Liliaceae. Local names: Igbo - Ayuu; Yoruba - Ayu. The bulb is used for fevers, coughs, constipation, asthma, nervous disorders, hypertension, ulcers and skin diseases. It is highly bacteriostatic (stops the growth of bacteria), fungicidal (kills fungi) and antihelmintic (worm expeller).

Also, a study published last week in the journal Carcinogenesis showed that in both cell lines and mouse models, grape seed extract (GSE) kills head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cells, while leaving healthy cells unharmed.

The researchers said grape seed extract creates these conditions that are unfavorable to growth. Specifically, the paper showed that grape seed extract both damages cancer cells’ DNA (via increased reactive oxygen species) and stops the pathways that allow repair (as seen by decreased levels of the DNA repair molecules Brca1 and Rad51 and DNA repair foci).

Another study by Nigerian and British researchers at the Pharmaceutical Science Division, King’s College London, Franklin-Wilkins Building, 150, Stamford Street, London, United Kingdom concluded: “Most of the species tested had some cytotoxic effect on the cancer cell lines, which to some extent supports their traditional inclusion in herbal preparations for treatment of cancer. However, little selectivity for cancer cells was observed, which raises concerns over their safety and efficacy in traditional treatment. The longistylins A and C appear to be responsible for much of the activity of Cajanus cajan extract.”

Cajanus cajan is Pigeon pea in English, Olele in Edo, Shingwazo in Gwari, Aduwa in Hausa, Agadagbulu in Igala, Fio fio in Igbo, Alev in Tiv, Otili in Yoruba.

Besides its confirmed use as an anti-sickling agent, the leaf extracts of Cajanus cajan are prepared in a infusion for anaemia, hepatitis, diabetes, urinary infections, and yellow fever.

The study titled “Ethnobotanical survey and cytotoxicity testing of plants of South-Western Nigeria used to treat cancer, with isolation of cytotoxic constituents from Cajanus cajan leaves” was published in Journal of Ethnopharmacology.

Meanwhile, the Annals of Biological Research study indicates nature has some remedy for cancer patients. “Some substances have been found to be anti-carcinogenic, that is they fight cancer forming cells and help to eliminate them from the body, for example cumaric acid and lycopen, which are found naturally in tomatoes fruits (Lycopersicum esculentum) and the leaves of bitter leaf (Vernonia amygdalina),” they said.

Lycopene, the main active ingredient in tomatoes are beneficial to health, but it serves as a natural antioxidant, prevent prostate cancer in elderly men and breast cancer for women as well as reduce the occurrence of osteoporosis.

According to the researchers, a lot of research has been and is still being done on the effectiveness of Aloe vera, Morinda lucida, Nympheae lotus (water lily) and Pycanthus angolensis for managing cancer.

Aloe vera has been shown to be a beneficial herb in the treatment of cancer in animals. Actually, the United States Department of Agriculture has agreed to make use of Aloe vera for curing of soft tissue cancer in animals in 1992.

There is a great scientific proof that Aloe vera restrains the developing of cancer tumour, raises levels of tumour necrosis, stimulates immune system response and enhances healthy tissue.

Morinda lucida belongs to the plant family Rubiaceae. It is commonly called Brimstone tree. It is Oruwo or Erewo in Yoruba, Eze-ogu or Njisi in Igbo, Marga in Hausa. Morinda lucida is a tropical West Africa rainforest tree also called brimstone tree. The leaves are widely used in the treatment of malaria, typhoid fever, jaundice and dressing of wounds to prevent infections. A weak decoction of the stem bark is used for the treatment of severe jaundice, cancer, poor low sperm count and diabetes.

The plant Pycnanthus angolensis belongs to the Myristicaceae family. It is also called Pycnanthus kombo. The plant common names include African Nutmeg and Wild Nutmeg. In Nigerian languages, it is referred to as Akomu (Yoruba), Akujaadi (Hausa) and Egwunoma (Igbo).

The Ethnopharmacological survey of the plant, Pycnanthus angolensis, according to a study by Agyare C. et al (2009) in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology Vol. 125 issued 3, pp 393-403 confirms the potency of aqeous extracts of the plant for wound healing and it establishes antioxidant activities of the ethanolic extracts of the plant. The plant was reported to be good for stomach ulcer treatment due to its anti-adhesive activity against helicobacter pylori on human stomach cells.

According to the Journal of Ethnopharmacology study, structured questionnaires were used to explore the ethnobotanical practices amongst the traditional healers. Methanol extracts of the most common species cited were screened for cytotoxicity using the sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay in both exposure and recovery experiments. Three cancer cell lines (human breast adenocarcinoma cell line MCF-7, human large cell lung carcinoma cell line COR-L23 and human amelanotic melanoma C32) and one normal cell line (normal human keratinocytes SVK-14) were used for the screening of the extracts and the fractions obtained.

The extract of Cajanus cajan showed considerable activity and was further partitioned and the dichloromethane fraction was subjected to preparative chomatography to yield six compounds: Hexadecanoic acid methyl ester, alpha-amyrin, beta-sitosterol, pinostrobin, longistylin A and longistylin C. Pinostrobin and longistylins A and C were tested for cytotoxicity on the cancer cell lines. In addition, an adriamycin-sensitive acute T-lymphoblastic leukaemia cell line (CCRF-CEM) and its multidrug-resistant sub-line (CEM/ADR5000) were used in an XTT assay to evaluate the activity of the pure compounds obtained.

A total of 30 healers from south-west Nigeria were involved in the study. 45 species were recorded with their local names with parts used in the traditional therapeutic preparations. Cytotoxicity (IC (50) values less than 50 microg/mL) was observed in five species (Acanthospermum hispidum- ewe onitan meta in Yoruba), Cajanus cajan, Morinda lucida, Nymphaea lotus and Pycnanthus angolensis). Acanthospermum hispidum and Cajanus cajan were the most active. The dichloromethane fraction of Cajanus cajan had IC (50) value 5-10 microg/mL, with the two constituent stilbenes, longistylins A and C, being primarily responsible, with IC (50) values of 0.7-14.7 microM against the range of cancer cell lines.

Investigator at the University of Colorado Cancer Centre and professor at the Skaggs School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Rajesh Agarwal, said: “It is a rather dramatic effect. It depends in large part, says Agarwal, on a healthy cell’s ability to wait out damage. Cancer cells are fast-growing cells. Not only that, but they are necessarily fast growing. When conditions exist in which they can’t grow, they die.”

The Agarwal Lab hopes to move in the direction of clinical trials of grape seed extract, potentially as an addition to second-line therapies that target head and neck squamous cell carcinoma that has failed a first treatment
Reference:
ngrguardianews.com/Chukwuma Muanya. 2012. African Pepper, bitter kola top list of local-cancer-bursting plants. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=75689:african-pepper-bitter-kola-top-list-of-local-cancer-bursting-plants&catid=44:natural-health. [Accessed 08 February 12].