Cytotoxic Activity of Crude Extracts as well as of Pure Components from Jatropha Species, Plants Used Extensively in African Traditional Medicine

Abstract

Extracts from Jatropha curcas, a plant used in African traditional medicine for various diseases, were tested for cytotoxic activity. The root extracts strongly reduced cell growth of tumor cells in vitro, a result consistent with the knowledge of the application of these plant extracts in traditional medicine, especially to cure/ameliorate cancer. A selection of pure diterpenoids existing in extracts from Jatropha species and isolated from J. curcas, for example, curcusone C, curcusone D, multidione, 15-epi-4Z-jatrogrossidentadion, 4Z-jatrogrossidentadion, 4E-jatrogrossidentadion, 2-hydroxyisojatrogrossidion, and 2-epi-hydroxyisojatrogrossidion, were likewise tested, and they also showed strong cytotoxic activity. It turned out that these extracts are highly active against L5178y mouse lymphoma cells and HeLa human cervix carcinoma cells, while they cause none or only very low activity against neuronal cell, for example, PC12. These data underscore that extracts from J. curcas or pure secondary metabolites from the plant are promising candidates to be anticancer drug, combined with low neuroactive effects.

Figure 1

The plant Jatropha curcas, in the local language also termed “lapalapa funfun”, is used in the South Western and Middle Belt regions (Nigeria) as live fences. Extracts from the root and rootbarks are used for medicinal applications.

Figure 2

The first descriptions of J. curcas. (a) Description of the species by von Linné [3]. (b) First description of J. curcas as a medical plant by de Jussieu [5]. (c) Recipe describing J. curcas extracts as antitumor medicine form the traditional healer, Baba Reke. (d, e) Description of the genus Jatropha by von Linné [3, 4], already including 13 species (f).

Figure 3

Medical impact of extracts from J. curcas, as learned from interviews with (a) the traditional healer, Alhaji Oloogun, Ilorin (Kwara state, Nigeria), (b) Baba Reke (Ilorin), and (c) Iya Igbeti, a female Yoruba traditional pediatric pharmacist at the New Market at Ilorin. They described how extracts of this plant, supplemented with black pepper or local black soap (as prepared by the Yoruba tribes of Nigeria), are used as traditional medicine which may also increase appetite and promote secretion, properties which have also been documented in modern medicinal textbooks [50].

Figure 4

(a) Cytotoxic activity of J. curcas extracts. Further details are given in Table 1. (b) Cytotoxic activity of pure compounds from extracts of J. curcas. The pure compounds had been isolated from root extracts as described under Section 2. The means of 10 different experiments (±SD) are given as EC₅₀: effective doses; see also Table 2 for further information.

Figure 5

Jatropha curcas: from leaves, latex, roots, and seeds different bioactive or commercially important ingredients have been extracted; schematic representation. For details, see text.