In vitro evaluation of antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of Annona stenophylla (Engl. & Diels), Strophanthus petersianus (Klotzsch), and Synadenium glaucescens (Pax) extracts against MCF-7 breast cancer and Vero cell lines
Publication Type
Journal Article
Publication Date (Issue Year)
2026
Journal Name
South African Journal of Botany
Abstract
Breast cancer remains a major global health burden, underscoring the development of safer and more effective anticancer agents. Medicinal plants represent an important source of bioactive metabolites with potential selective cytotoxicity. This study evaluated the antiproliferative activity and selectivity of extracts from Annona stenophylla, Strophanthus petersianus, and Synadenium glaucescens against the MCF-7 breast cancer and the Vero cell lines, with doxorubicin used as a positive control. Root, stem and leaf extracts were obtained through sequential solvent extraction, and cytotoxic activity was assessed using the MTT assay. IC50 values were determined to quantify cytotoxicity. Statistical differences among treatments were determined using Tukey’s HSD post hoc test, and the selectivity index was determined to compare the relative cytotoxicity between cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines. The RSPE (root ethyl acetate extract of S. petersianus) exhibited the highest antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 cells (IC50 = 0.12 μg/mL; p < 0.05), while other extracts from the same plant produced IC50 values of up to 12.61 μg/mL. In contrast, substantially higher IC50 values were observed in Vero cells (1.73 to 265.81 μg/mL; p < 0.05), resulting in a high selectivity index of 31.33, 28.40 and 21.08 for SSPM, SSPE and LSPE (stem methanol, stem ethyl acetate and leaf ethyl acetate extracts S. petersianus), respectively. A. stenophylla extracts exhibited variable cytotoxicity against MCF-7 (IC50: 3.14 to 37.96 μg/mL; p < 0.05) and Vero (5.36 to 42.33 μg/mL), yielding moderate selectivity (1S. glaucescens exhibited weak antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 (IC50 > 70 μg/mL), with only SWSGE (stem wood ethyl acetate of S. glaucescens) exhibiting a statistically significant effect at tested concentrations of 3.90, 31.30, 15.60 and 125 μg/mL (p < 0.05), but not at 1.90, 31.30 and 62.50 μg/mL. In contrast, the other extracts showed no significant difference relative to the control group (p > 0.05) and poor selectivity. Doxorubicin (positive control) exhibited an IC50 value of 0.30 μg/mL in MCF-7 and 53.69 μg/mL in Vero cells, corresponding to an SI of 178.97. S. petersianus demonstrated potent and selective antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 cells, highlighting it as a source for anticancer agents. Further mechanistic and phytochemical investigations are warranted.
Keywords
Plant-derived anticancer agents, Selectivity index, MTT assay, MCF-7 cells; Vero cells; Annona stenophylla, Strophanthus petersianus, Synadenium glaucescens
Rsif Scholar Name
Roberto Luís Nhamussua
Thematic Area
Food security and Agribusiness
Africa Host University (AHU)
Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Tanzania
Recommended Citation
Nhamussua, R., Ibrahim, M., Mwakalesi, A., Mabiki, F., & McGaw, L. J. (2026). In vitro evaluation of antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects of Annona stenophylla (Engl. & Diels), Strophanthus petersianus (Klotzsch), and Synadenium glaucescens (Pax) extracts against MCF-7 breast cancer and Vero cell lines. South African Journal of Botany, 196, 122-132. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sajb.2026.06.012