Mbaveng, Armelle T.Kuete, VictorMapunya, Manyatja BrendaBeng, Veronique P.Nkengfack, Augustin E.Meyer, Jacobus Johannes MarionLall, Namrita2012-07-052012-07-052011-09Armelle T. Mbaveng, Victor Kuete, Brenda M. Mapunya, Veronique P. Beng, Augustin E. Nkengfack, Jacobus J. Marion Meyer & Namrita Lall, Evaluation of four Cameroonian medicinal plants for anticancer, antigonorrheal and antireverse transcriptase activities, Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, vol. 32, no. 2, pp. 162-167 (2011), doi:10.1016/j.etap.2011.04.006.1382-6689 (print)1872-7077 (online)10.1016/j.etap.2011.04.006http://hdl.handle.net/2263/19334Methanol extracts from the leaves, bark and roots of four Cameroonian medicinal plants, Bersama engleriana, Cupressus lusitanica, Vitellaria paradoxa and Guibourtia tessmannii were tested for their in vitro cytotoxicity, antigonorrheal and antireverse transcriptase activities. The XTT (2,3-bis[2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl]-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxyanilide inner salt) assay, the dilution method and reverse transcriptase (RT) assay were used for the investigations. Preliminary phytochemical analysis of the extracts was also conducted using standard methods. Results showed that all extracts contained compounds belonging to the classes of phenols and terpenoids. They were also able to reduce in dose dependent manner, the proliferation of the cancer THP-1, DU145, HeLa, MCF-7, HepG2 and the normal Vero cells. IC50 values below 30 μg/ml were noted with extract from the three parts of B. engleriana on at least two of the five studied cancer cell lines, the lowest value of 5.9 μg/ml being obtained with sample from the bark. IC50 values below 30 μg/ml were also recorded with extracts from the leaves (on HeLa cells) and bark (on MCF-7) of G. tessmanii, and that from the bark of C. lusitanica on MCF-7. Extracts from B. engleriana and those from the bark of V. paradoxa gave the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) values below 100 μg/ml on most of the 10 tested Nesseria gonorrhoeae strains. Extracts from B. engleriana also inhibited more than 80% the activity of the Human Immuno-deficiency Virus (HIV) enzyme. Finally, the results of the present study provide baseline information for the use of B. engleriana, C. lusitanica, G. tessmanii, V. paradoxa.en© 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Notice : this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Environmental Toxicology and Pharmacology, vol. 32, no.2, 2011, doi.: 10.1016/j.etap.2011.04.006.Anticancer agentsAnti-reverse transcriptaseAntigonorrheal transcriptase activitiesAntineoplastic agents -- CameroonMedicinal plants -- CameroonPlant extracts -- Therapeutic usePostprint Article