Planta Med 2012; 78 - PF83
DOI: 10.1055/s-0032-1320630

Standardized plant extracts in the treatment of cancer

R Capistrano 1, K Foubert 1, L Dhooghe 1, A Wouters 2, F Lardon 2, A Vlietinck 1, S Apers 1, L Pieters 1
  • 1Natural Products & Food – Research and Analysis, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, Belgium
  • 2Laboratory of Cancer Research and Clinical Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Antwerp, Belgium

In this project three plant extracts are evaluated for their potential use in the treatment of cancer: Chelidonium majus (Papaveraceae), containing benzophenanthridine alkaloids; Steganotaenia araliacea (Apiaceae), known in African traditional medicine for its antitumoral activity and containing lignans such as steganacine; and Gloriosa superba (Liliaceae), traditionally used in India and containing colchicine and related alkaloids. The extracts are analyzed and standardized for these constituents. The hypothesis is that a combination of various active principles in an extract may have more beneficial effects than the pure substances, due to synergism and the presence of prodrugs such as glycosides. Cytotoxicity (IC50, µg/mL) of 80% EtOH extracts was determined against MDA-MB-231 WT (breast cancer), PANC-1 (pancreatic carcinoma) and HT-29 (colon adenocarcinoma) using the sulforhodamine B assay. After 24h of incubation, IC50 values of 73.8±11.5µg/mL, 20.7±1.0µg/mL, and 20.6±2.5µg/mL, respectively, were observed for C. majus; 165.5±8.0µg/mL, 64.0±3.3µg/mL, and 68.7±3.9µg/mL for S. araliacea; and 0.33±0.05µg/mL, 0.13µg/mL and 0.12µg/mL for G. superba.