Antiproliferative and apoptotic activities of <i>Cola lepidota</i> against estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells

Abstract

The stem bark, seed, roots and leaves of Cola lepidota have been used for various health conditions in Nigeria folk medicine including treatment of cancer related ailments. The study evaluated the antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of extracts of the leaves and stem bark on breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line. Powdered stem bark and leaves were extracted with methanol and concentrated in vacuo. Extracts were partitioned with petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate successively. The extract and fractions were screened for antiproliferative and apoptotic activities using flow cytometry. The methanol leaf extract (CLL-M) demonstrated significant (p < 0.01) antiproliferative activity against estrogen receptor positive breast cancer cells (26.09 %), while the chloroform fraction of the stem extract (CLS-CH) showed significant (p < 0.001) apoptotic activity.

The study lends support to the ethnomedicinal use of Cola lepidota and indicates the potential of the plant as source of natural anticancer agent.

Keywords: apoptosis, proliferative, anticancer, Cola lepiota, extract