title: In vitro antimicrobial and anti-proliferative activities of plant extracts from Spathodea campanulata, Ficus bubu, and Carica papaya.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  African medicinal plants represent a prominent source of new active substances. In this context, three plants were selected for biological investigations based on their traditional uses.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The antimicrobial and anti-proliferative features of three plants used for medicinal purpose were evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  The antimicrobial activities of methanol extracts of Ficus bubu Warb. (Moraceae) stem bark and leaves, of Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv. (Bignoniaceae) flowers, as well as those of Carica papaya Linn. (Caricaceae) latex, were determined using the microbroth dilution method against a set of bacteria and fungi pathogens including: Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, S. saprophyticus, S. epidermididis, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Salmonella typhimurium, Candida albicans, and Trichophyton rubrum. The tested concentrations of extracts ranged from 2500.0 to 2.4 μg/mL and MIC values were evaluated after 24 h incubation at 37 °C. Subsequently, MTT assay was used to estimate anti-proliferative activity of these methanol extracts and of F. bubu latex on three human cancer cell lines (U373 glioblastoma, A549 NSCLC, and SKMEL-28 melanoma).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The methanol extract of F. bubu stem bark exhibited the highest antimicrobial activity against C. albicans with a MIC value of 9.8 μg/mL, while the F. bubu latex and the methanol extract of F. bubu leaves induced significant anti-proliferative activity against lung (IC50 values of 10 and 14 μg/mL, respectively) and glioma (IC50 values of 13 and 16 μg/mL, respectively) cancer cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results indicate that effective drugs could be derived from the three studied plants.
authors.affiliation: a Département Des Sciences Biologiques, Faculté De Médecine Et Des Sciences Pharmaceutiques (FMSP) , Université De Douala , Douala , Cameroun ;|b Laboratory of Biopolymers and Supramolecular Nanomaterials, Faculté De Pharmacie , Université Libre De Bruxelles (ULB) , Campus Plaine (CP 206/4), Boulevard Du Triomphe , Brussels , Belgium ;|c Laboratoire De Chimie Bio-Organique, Analytique Et Structurale, Département De Chimie, Faculté Des Sciences , Université De Douala , Douala , Cameroun ;
authors.forename: Jean Emmanuel
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Mbosso Teinkela
authors.affiliation: d Programme in Medicine, Faculty of Health Science , University of Buea , Buea , SW Province , Cameroon ;
authors.forename: Jules Clément
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Assob Nguedia
authors.affiliation: b Laboratory of Biopolymers and Supramolecular Nanomaterials, Faculté De Pharmacie , Université Libre De Bruxelles (ULB) , Campus Plaine (CP 206/4), Boulevard Du Triomphe , Brussels , Belgium ;
authors.forename: Franck
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: e Laboratoire De Substances Naturelles Et Synthèse Organique, Département De Chimie Organique, Faculté Des Sciences , Université De Yaoundé I , Yaoundé , Cameroun ;
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vouffo Donfack
authors.affiliation: f Department of Chemistry, Higher Teachers' Training College , University of Yaoundé 1 , P.O. Box 47 , Yaoundé , Cameroun.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lenta Ndjakou
authors.affiliation: e Laboratoire De Substances Naturelles Et Synthèse Organique, Département De Chimie Organique, Faculté Des Sciences , Université De Yaoundé I , Yaoundé , Cameroun ;
authors.forename: Silvère
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ngouela
authors.affiliation: e Laboratoire De Substances Naturelles Et Synthèse Organique, Département De Chimie Organique, Faculté Des Sciences , Université De Yaoundé I , Yaoundé , Cameroun ;
authors.forename: Etienne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tsamo
authors.affiliation: a Département Des Sciences Biologiques, Faculté De Médecine Et Des Sciences Pharmaceutiques (FMSP) , Université De Douala , Douala , Cameroun ;
authors.forename: Dieudonné
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Adiogo
authors.affiliation: c Laboratoire De Chimie Bio-Organique, Analytique Et Structurale, Département De Chimie, Faculté Des Sciences , Université De Douala , Douala , Cameroun ;
authors.forename: Anatole
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Guy Blaise Azebaze
authors.affiliation: b Laboratory of Biopolymers and Supramolecular Nanomaterials, Faculté De Pharmacie , Université Libre De Bruxelles (ULB) , Campus Plaine (CP 206/4), Boulevard Du Triomphe , Brussels , Belgium ;
authors.forename: René
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wintjens
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029402:Bignoniaceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D029441:Carica / Q000737:chemistry*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D030681:Ficus / Q000737:chemistry*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D016488:Medicine, African Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: Bioactivity; cancer; latex; medicinal plants