Screening of Plants Used as Traditional Anticancer Remedies in Mkuranga and Same Districts, Tanzania, Using Brine Shrimp Toxicity Bioassay
Table 1
Plants used by Traditional Health Practitioners of Mkuranga and Same districts.
Family/Species [Voucher No.]
Vernacular name (Tribe)
Life form
Type of cancer treated (No. of THPs)
Part(s) Used
Methods of preparation and administration
Related ethnomedical claims or pharmacological activity reported
Apocynaceae/Carissa spinarum L.
Mshohwe (Pare)
S
Leukemia (1) Colon cancer (1), Breast cancer (1) Cervical cancer (1)
R
Root barks are mixed with dry stem bark of Spirostachys africana, Sond boiled and a tea cup of the concoction is drunk three times daily.
Carissa spinarum stem aqueous extract (CSE) and its n-butanol fraction (CSF) inhibited cell proliferation of various human cancer cell lines in which leukaemia HL-60 cells treated with CSF showed maximum growth inhibition with I value of 34.58±0.91 μ g/ml [15]. In another study the lignans (-)-carinol, (-)- carissanol and (-) nortrachelogenin isolated from the stem exhibited cytotoxic activity against breast (MCF7) and lung (A549) cancer cells [16].
Boiled stem bark concoction is drunk. A tea cup is taken daily.
The aqueous extract of the leaves exhibited low toxicity on cell lines [17]. Low cytotoxicity was exhibited by an ethanol extract of the leaves of Markhamia tomentosa on HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines, but the extract induced arrest of cell cycle at G1/G0 phase in HeLa, causing apoptosis within 24 h of exposure [18].
Bignoniaceae/Kigelia africana (Lam) Benth.
Mmomwe (Pare)
T
Breast cancer (1) Liver cancer (1) Colon cancer (1)
SB
Stem bark mixed with approximately equal weights root barks of Maclura africana (Bureau)corner Harrisonia abyssinica Oliv and Warburgia stuhlmannii Engl., boiled together and one tea cup of the concoction is drunk twice a day.
The plant has yielded compounds with anticancer activity [19–21]. The fruit powder was used in the management of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) in two patients. [22]. An 80% methanol extract of the roots exhibited cytotoxicity to brine shrimps with L of 7.2 μg/ml [23]
Boraginaceae/Cordia africana Lam.
Ithibola vaghosi (Pare)
T
Cervical cancer (2), Colon cancer (1) Breast Cancer (1) Leukemia cancer (1)
SB
Dry outer SB grinded and powder mixed in concoction of Hydnora. Abyssinica A.Br. and Loranthus micranthus Linn. Cup of concoction is drunk for several weeks
Cervical Cancer (1) Colon cancer (2) Oesophageal cancer (1) Leukemia (1)
R, L
Decoction from boiled root bark is drunk; a tea cup is taken once daily.
Trichodesma zeylanicum was reported to be non-cytotoxic to cancer cell lines [24] but in another study it was shown to be a potential source of antioxidants [25].
Burseraceae/Boswellia neglecta S. Moore
Mtundutwa (Pare)
S
Leukemia (1) Colon cancer (1)
R
A tea cup of decoction from boiled root bark is drunk twice daily.
Plants of the genus Boswellia are reported to have biological activities that include anticancer activity [26]. The essential oil from the gum resin of Boswellia serrata which is used traditionally for aromatic therapy, has also been shown to have tumour cell-specific anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic activities [27]
Capparaceae/Maerua triphylla A.Rich.
Mdudu (Pare)
S
Breast Cancer (1) Leukemia (1)
R
A tea cup of a concoction from boiled root barks is drunk twice daily.
Cervical Cancer (2) Colon cancer (1) Oesophageal cancer (1)
SB
A stem bark is boiled with the root bark of Senecio deltoideus less and the concoction is taken, one bowl twice a day.
Reported to have very low cytotoxic activity against three cell lines [7].
Compositae/Senecio deltoideus Less.
Mkonte ( Pare)
CL
Cervical cancer (1) Colon cancer (1) Oesophageal cancer (1)
L
Leaves wrapped in fresh banana leaf and warmed on fire then squeezed to obtain a fluid which is given to kids; one teaspoonful, three times daily.
Reported as one of plants used by the Xhosa of South Africa for treatment of oesophageal cancer [28]. However, it is worth noting that plants of this genus are reported to have pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are very toxic [29].
Concoction from boiled stem bark is drunk; one tea cup three times daily.
Two naphthoquinones, 7- Methyljuglone and isodiospyrin, extracted from Diospyros zombensis showed cytotoxic activities against human colon carcinoma cells.7- Methyljuglone had a L of 7.0 x1μg/ml and isodiospyrin a L of 3.8 x 1μg/ml [30]
Ebenaceae/Euclea natalensis A.DC.
Mdagha (Pare)
S
Leukemia (1)
L, R
Root barks are boiled with the root barks of Harrisonia abyssinica and the concoction drunk; one tea cup twice a day.
It used in South Africa for treatment of cancer and the anticancer compound, 7-methyljuglone was isolated from the root extract of Euclea natalensis [31].
Euphorbiaceae/Croton pseudopulchellus Pax
Mkuang’o mbe (Pare)
S
Colon cancer (3) Cervical cancer (2) Oesophageal cancer (1) Breast cancer (1) Liver cancer (1) Breast cancer (1)
SB
A teaspoonful of fine powdered stem bark is added to a tea cup of warm water/tea/porridge and drunk twice daily.
An ethanol extract of the root bark exhibited cytotoxic activity against brine shrimps [32].
Euphorbiaceae/Spirostachys africana Sond.
Mtanga (Pare), Msalaka (Swahili)
T
Cervical Cancer (2) Colon cancer (2) Oesophageal cancer (1) Breast cancer (2) Liver cancer (1)
SB, R
Paste of powder from dry stem is applied externally on a swelling. Tea cup of concoction from boiled root barks is drunk twice daily.
Contains stable bioactive compounds with high antioxidant activity [33] and an 80% methanol extract of leaves and roots exhibited cytotoxic activity against brine shrimps with a L of 16.4 and 45.2 μ g/ml, respectively [23].
Fabaceae/Acacia nilotica (L) Delile [DZM62]/
Mkame (Pare)
T
Cervical cancer (1)
R
Concoction from boiled root barks drunk. One bowl twice a day.
Leaf extracts exert potential anticancer activity through the growth inhibition, cell cycle arrest and the apoptosis [34]. Four lignin fractions from the stem wood exhibited high cytotoxic activity I: 2-15 μg/ml against breast cancer MCF-7 cell line [35]
Fabaceae/Baphia kirkii Baker
Mkuruti ( Swahili)
T
Breast cancer (1) Cervical cancer (1)
SB
Stem barks boiled with root barks of Carissa spinarum and Dalbergia melanoxylon and concoction taken for a week or more
Isolated compounds Baphikixanthones A, B, C and Baphikinone. Reported need of further investigation on their medicinal values [36]
Fabaceae/Dalbergia melanoxylon Guill. & Perr.
Mwingo (Pare)
T
Breast cancer (1)
SB, R
Paste of grounded dry stem is applied externally on a swelling.
Fresh leaves of Dalbergia melanoxylon are used topically by the Nyamwezi of Tabora, Tanzania, for treatment of cancer [10]. An ethanol extract of the leaves exhibited cytotoxic activity to brine shrimps with an I of 8.64 μ g/ml [36].
Fabaceae/Cassia abbreviata Oliv.
Mzangaze (Pare)
S
Cervical (1) Leukemia (1) Colon cancer (1)
SB
Stem bark boiled with rhizomes of Hydnora abyssinica. The concoction is drunk, one tea cup twice a day or the dried powder of the mixture a is added to tea/porridge
Methanol extracts from the stem bark exhibited antioxidant activity [37]. Kamuhabwa et al., showed that extracts of this plant were cytotoxic, and thus were a potential source of promising anticancer agents [5], while a recent study reported that an aqueous extract of the root bark exhibited cytotoxic activity against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells with an I of 1.49 μg/ml [38].
Lamiaceae/Leucas martinicensis (Jacq)R.Br.
Mrumba- vwasi (Pare)
S
Treatment of tumours
LF
Leaves are boiled and a tea cup of the concoction is drunk twice daily for a week
The leaves are used in Brazil for treatment of benign tumors [39].
Loranthaceae/Loranthus micranthus Linn
Kimpa- Muoža (Pare)
P
Breast Cancer (1) Leukemia (1)
L
A tea cup of a concoction from boiled leaves is drunk three times daily.
The plant contains polyphenols with antioxidant [40] and immunomodulatory properties [41] that may have a role in cancer treatment.
Malvaceae/Grewia tembensis. Fresen
Mkokoro (Pare)
S
Breast Cancer (1) Leukemia (1)
Whole
The whole plant is boiled with rhizomes of Hydnora abyssinica. A tea cup of the concoction is drunk twice daily for two weeks.
No reported uses for cancer treatment
Malvaceae/Hibiscus micranthus L.f.
Msindati (Pare)
H
Leukemia (1)
L, R
A tea cup of the decoction from boiled root barks is drunk twice daily.
In certain parts of Gujarat the fruits and flowers of Hibiscus micranthus are used as antitumor [42]. An ethanolic extract of aerial parts exhibited significant antitumor activity against Sarcoma 180 A cells [43].
Ochnaceae/Ochna mossambicensis Klotzsch
Nkatakwa (Pare), Mkumbi (Swahili)
T
Cervical cancer (1) Breast cancer (1)
SB, R
The yellowish part from the stem bark is grinded and applied on wounds. A concoction from boiled root barks is drunk twice daily.
Crude extracts of Ochna species exhibited cytotoxic activity [44] and two biflavonoids with cytotoxic activity on MCF-7 breast cancer cells were isolated from the stem bark ethanol extract of another species; Ochna macrocalyx [45].
Polygalaceae/Securidaca longipedunculata Fresen
Mbazo (P(1)are)
T
Breast cancer (1) Liver cancer (1) Colon cancer (1) Cervical (1)
SB
The stem bark is soaked in water overnight and the resulting extract is drunk, one tea cup twice daily.
A concoction from boiled stem barks is drunk, one tea cup twice a day.
Zanthoxylum chalybeum and L. cornuta were found to be highly toxic with L <500 μg/ml [47].
Sapindaceae/Blighia unijugata Baker
Mkurutang ulue (Pare)
T
Breast cancer (1) Cervical cancer (1)
SB,L, Seeds
A mixture of stem bark, leaves and seeds, is boiled and the concoction is drunk; one bowl is taken twice a day.
Ethanolic extracts of leaves demonstrated a consistently high antioxidant activity [48].
Life form: T = tree; S = shrub; H = herb; P = parasitic plant; S/T = shrub/tree; CL = climber. Part used: SB = stem bark; L = leaves; R = roots; whole = whole plant. All plants involved in the study were named according to the references: http:www.theplantlist.org/ and or http://www.tropicos.org/.
