title: Anticancer activity of five forest crops used in African folklore: antiproliferative and pro-apoptotic effects.
abstract: Acalypha wilkesiana, Caesalpinia bonduc, Jatropha multifida, Momordica charantia and Picralima nitida used in African folklore for treating cancer were investigated. All extracts except J. multifida resulted in no significant alteration in cell cycle distribution and apoptosis in MCF-7 and BT-20. The J. multifilda (JMR-Ch) caused cell cycle arrest at G1 checkpoint and apoptosis in MCF-7. Slight changes in the integrin expression of MCF-7 after treatment with 1 and 10 μg/mL of JMR-Ch were observed. Fluorescence-activated confocal microscopy shows changes in cell morphology and β1 integrin localisation within MCF-7 cells after exposure to 10 and 25 μg/mL of JMR-Ch. JMR-Ch (1 μg/mL) treatment resulted in time-dependent decrease in cell acidification and respiration in MCF-7 cells and a time-dependent decrease in BT-20 cell respiration, while in MCF-10A, there was an enhancement of acidification. These results revealed the probable application of JMR-Ch in cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Cell Biology, Medical Faculty , University of Rostock , Schillingallee 69, 18057 Rostock , Germany.
authors.forename: Osayemwenre
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Erharuyi
authors.forename: Nadja
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Engel-Lutz
authors.forename: Joy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ahomafor
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Imieje
authors.forename: Abiodun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falodun
authors.forename: Babara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Nebe
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Langer