2025, Vol. 13 Issue 1, Part A
Antiproliferative, cytotoxic, and anticancer plants of Nigeria: An updated review
AUTHOR(S): Adebayo Gbolade, Olapeju Aiyelaagbe and Abdulmumeen Hamid
ABSTRACT:Cancer is a major global cause of death. It arises from deformation of natural cells due to genetic mutations in DNA which then produces an abnormal cell population. Chemotherapy option suffers from the demerits of high cost and non-selectivity, thereby destroying tumor cells in the presence of normal cells. This has paved way for an alternative plant-based medicinal therapy that constitutes natural sources of cytotoxic or antiproliferative compounds, which forms the basis for this review of publications of anti-proliferative, anticancer and cytotoxic research in Nigeria from 2000 to 2023 undertaken using different scientific sources and databases. Cancer incidence in Nigeria is more common in females with breast and cervical cancers having high prevalence. In the males, decreasing prevalence order was: prostate, bladder, skin and colorectal cancers. Ethnobotanical reports of Nigerian natural sources have revealed 116 scientifically-investigated medicinal plants, mostly by in vitro (97.34%) found in 50 families largely represented by Fabaceae (14.15%), Euphorbiaceae (10.61%) and Asteraceae (6.19%). Nevertheless, only three plants, Morinda lucida (3.28%), Vernonia amygdalina (2.63%) and Persea americana (2.63%) were the most researched for anti-proliferative potential. The frequently investigated morphological parts included leaf (45.73%), stem/ stem bark (21.70%), root/rootbark (16.27%) and aerial part/ whole plant (7.75%). A limited number, 15 (55.55%) of the 27 frequently occurring plants documented in anticancer ethnobotanical surveys have been scientifically validated. Fully characterized bioactive compounds were derived from extracts of 72.56% of the plants. Interestingly, ten bioactive cytotoxic compounds have been the subject of clinical trials while eight other compounds have been targeted. Various mechanisms of anticancer action including suppression of cancer’s stimulating enzymes, DNA repair and stimulation of production of antitumor enzymes, have been postulated. This review has unravelled possibly efficacious folkloric anti-proliferative plants growing in Nigeria and their bioactive compounds some of which are undergoing clinical trials.
Pages: 22-37 | 86 Views 49 Downloads
How to cite this article:
Adebayo Gbolade, Olapeju Aiyelaagbe, Abdulmumeen Hamid. Antiproliferative, cytotoxic, and anticancer plants of Nigeria: An updated review. Am J Essent Oil Nat Prod 2025;13(1):22-37.
