title: Cytotoxicity of some Cameroonian spices and selected medicinal plant extracts.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Several medicinal plants and spices are used traditionally to treat cancers in Cameroon.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Methanol extracts from thirty-four spices and plants, with related ethnobotanical use were investigated for their in vitro cytotoxicity on the human pancreatic cancer cell line MiaPaCa-2, leukemia CCRF-CEM cells and their multidrug resistant (MDR) subline CEM/ADR5000, and the normal human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). In addition the anti-angiogenic properties of the most active extracts were investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The MTS [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium] assay was used for cytotoxic studies and the CAM-assay (chicken-chorioallantoic-membrane-assay) for anti-angiogenesis test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of the cytotoxicity tests indicated that, when tested at 20 μg/ml, extracts from Xylopia aethiopica, Echinops giganteus, Imperata cylindrica, Dorstenia psilirus and Piper capense were able to inhibit more that 50% the proliferation of the three tested cancer cells (MiaPaCa-2, CEM/ADR5000 CCRF-CEM). The lowest IC(50) values of 6.86 μg/ml on MiaPaCa-2 and 3.91 μg/ml on CCRF-CEM cells were obtained with X. aethiopica, while the corresponding value of 6.56 μg/ml was obtained with P. capense on CEM/ADR5000 cells. Against leukemia cells, no cross-resistance was observed with I. cylindrica, P. capense and Zinziber officinalis. Extracts from D. psilirus and E. giganteus were able to inhibit angiogenesis by more than 50% in quail embryo.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The overall results of the present study provide supportive data on the use of some Cameroonian plants for cancer treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Victor
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kuete
authors.forename: Benjamin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Krusche
authors.forename: Mahmoud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Youns
authors.forename: Igor
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Voukeng
authors.forename: Aimé G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Fankam
authors.forename: Simplice
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tankeo
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lacmata
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Efferth
mesh_terms: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002163:Cameroon; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004354:Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor; D006801:Humans; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*; D017365:Spices
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts