Effect of Anacardium occidentale leaf extract on human acute lymphoblastic leukaemia cell lines

Integration of medicinal plants into the traditional system of medicine for the treatment of cancer in Sokoto State, Nigeria

This study was designed to explore and record various medicinal plants integrated into the traditional system of medicine for the treatment of cancer. The traditional system of medicine is a routine practiced among the indigenous ethnic groups of Sokoto state. A semi-structured questionnaire was designed and used for data collection around the selected Local Government Areas. A substantial number of plant species were identified, recorded, and collected for preservation. Data collected for each specie was analysed to assess its frequent use among the medicinal plants. A total of 67 species belonging to 31 families have been identified and recorded. Out of the 473 frequency of citation (FC), Acacia nilotica was the most frequently cited specie (32 FC, 64% FC, 0.6 RFC), followed by Guiera senegalensis (27 FC, 54% FC, 0.5 RFC), Erythrina sigmoidea (17 FC, 34% FC, 0.3 RFC), and subsequently Combretum camporum (15 FC, 30% FC, 0.3 RFC). The most common parts of the plants used include the barks (55.2%), the roots (53.2%), and the leaves (41.8%). Additionally, decoction (74.6%), powdered form (49.3%), and maceration (46.3%) are the most frequently used mode of preparation. The historical knowledge of a traditional system of medicine practiced by the native traditional healers of Sokoto for the treatment of cancer has been documented. The present study further provides a baseline for future pharmacological investigations into the beneficial effects of such medicinal plants for the treatment of cancer.

New n-nonadecanoyl-β-sitosterol and other constituents from the stem-bark of Anacardium occidentale

A new steroidal ester bearing n-nonadecanoyl moiety (1) and a mixture of isomeric cerebrosides (2) along with two known compounds were isolated from the methanol extract of the stem-bark of Anacardium occidentale. The structure of the new steroidal ester was determined as 3-n-nonadecanoyl-β-sitosterol on the basis of modern spectroscopic techniques (IR, ESI-MS, HR-ESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR) and chemical degradation studies. The structures of the known compounds were identified as gallic acid and tanacetene by comparison of the spectroscopic data with those of reported data. The mixture of cerebrosides was confirmed based on the analysis of 1D and 2D NMR. These compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines A549, SCOV3 and rat normal cell line NRK49f.