Kigelia africana (Lam.) Benth. (Bignoniaceae) is a flowering plants in South, Central and West Africa and commonly known as the sausage tree (Eng.); worsboom (Afr.); umVunguta, umFongothi (Zulu); Modukguhlu (North Sotho); Muvevha (Venda). The dried, powdered fruits are used as dressing for wounds and ulcers, haemorrhoids, rheumatism, purgative, skin-firming, lactation in breast-feeding mothers. The aim of this study is to investigate the cytotoxic and apoptotic potentials of 70% ethanolic extracts of Kigelia africana fruits in HCT116 human colon cancer cells. Treatment of Kigelia africana fruits with various concentrations resulted in a sequence of characteristic of apoptosis, including loss of cell viability and morphological changes. Flow cytometry analysis showed Kigelia africana fruits increased the sub-G1 phase (apoptosis) population. Apoptosis confirmed by annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and propidium iodide double staining in HCT116 human colon cancer cell lines. Moreover, analysis of the mechanism indicated that Kigelia africana fruits showed an increased Bax and Bcl-2 expressions in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in activation of hallmarks of apoptotic events, caspase-3, caspase-9 and cleaved poly-ADP-ribose polymerase. This is the first report to demonstrate the cytotoxicity of Kigelia africana fruits on HCT116 human colon cancer cells.
Africa, Western ; Apoptosis* ; Bandages ; Caspase 3 ; Caspase 9 ; Cell Line ; Cell Survival ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Ethanol ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Flowers ; Fruit* ; Humans* ; Lactation ; Mothers ; Propidium ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Trees ; Ulcer ; Wounds and Injuries

Moringa oleifera Lam (M. oleifera, Moringaceae) is a tree of the Moringaceae family that can reach a height of between 5 and 10 m. The current paper presents cytotoxic effect of M. oleifera fruits and its flavonoids 1 and 2. The viability of HCT116 human colon cancer cells were 38.5% reduced by 150 µg/mL of ethanolic extracts in a concentration-dependent manner; in addition, we observed the apoptotic features of cell shrinkage and decreased cell size. Bcl-2 family proteins were regulated as determined by Western blotting analysis, suggesting that M. oleifera fruits and their flavonoids 1 and 2 induced apoptosis through an intrinsic pathway. Based on our findings, 70% ethanolic extracts of M. oleifera fruits and flavonoids 1 and 2 might be useful as cytotoxic agents in colorectal cancer therapy.
Apoptosis* ; Blotting, Western ; Cell Size ; Colon* ; Colonic Neoplasms* ; Colorectal Neoplasms ; Cytotoxins ; Ethanol ; Flavonoids ; Fruit* ; Humans* ; Moringa oleifera* ; Moringa* ; Trees