title: An ethnopharmacological approach to the preliminary screening of native Australian herbal medicines for anticancer activity.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Five plants used traditionally by Australian Aboriginals and two edible native Australian fruits have been investigated for anticancer activity. The aim was to identify native Australian herbal medicines which displayed anticancer activity, with cytotoxicity to cancer cells but sparing or even proliferating normal immunological cells, and subsequently provide potentially new anticancer drug leads.
  
  
  METHODS
  Extracts and derived fractions were assayed for cell viability against a multiple myeloma cell line, RPMI-8226, in comparison to the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) representing normal human immunological cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the crude extracts exhibited the desirable differential activity; however, following further fractionation of the Eremophila duttonii F. Muell. (Myoporaceae) extract, one fraction (termed F01) exhibited a greater cytotoxicity to the cancer cell line than to the normal cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One fraction may potentially contain valuable compounds which may be useful for further investigation. This may focus on the identification of the bioavailable purified compounds present within these fractions or by detailed delineation of the related mechanisms of action.
authors.forename: Aaron C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: Izabela
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Konczak
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Basil D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Roufogalis
authors.forename: Bhagwant
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sekhon
authors.forename: Daniel M-Y
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Sze
mesh_terms: D000045:Acacia / Q000737:chemistry; D031051:Alstonia / Q000737:chemistry; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001315:Australia; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor / Q000187:drug effects*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D041621:Eremophila Plant / Q000737:chemistry; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry; D029001:Herbal Medicine; D006801:Humans; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010946:Plants, Medicinal / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts