Abstract
Background: Medicinal plants contain physiologically active principles that over the years have been exploited in traditional medicine for the treatment of various ailments.
Objectives: The ethanolic extract of Guiera senegalensis was tested in vitro as anticancer and antioxidant agent as well as for its phenolic and flavonoidal contents.
Methods: The trypan blue technique was used for the anticancer activity against Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Cells (EACC) while the antioxidant activity of the plant extract was determined by 2, 2 diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The total phenolic and flavonoidal contents were estimated using colorimetric methods.
Results: The ethanolic extract at a concentration of 13 mu g/ml caused 100% cytotoxic effect against EACC. Moreover, it possessed a considerable antioxidant activity against DPPH radical. Guiera senegalensis extract was found to contain appreciable amounts of phenolic and flavonoidal compounds.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that Guiera senegalensis possesses sufficient in vitro anticancer and antioxidant activities to warrant further detailed study of its pharmacology and phytochemistry.