Effect of Mansoa alliacea (Bignonaceae) leaf extract on embryonic and tumorigenic mouse cell lines

Abstract

Mansoa alliacea contains high concentrations of chemicals thought to be associated with the suppression of tumor growth. Additionally, this plant has been reported to possess analgesic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties, thereby providing other potential benefits for cancer patients. Low doses of a water extract of M. alliacea were applied to a cancerous and non-cancerous cell line. Doses between 1.254 to 10.04 mg/ml of extract applied to T3-HA cancer cells inhibited cell growth, but higher doses of 29.92 to 89.6 mg/ml destroyed colonies of the cancer cells. Application of the extract to NIH Swiss mouse cell cultures resulted in the inhibition of growth at higher concentrations, but at a concentration of 10.14 mg/ml, cell growth began to increase after three days. However, cell death was less at lower concentrations than that of T3-HA cancer cells, thereby confirming that lower concentrations of Ajo de Monte will inhibit cancer cell growth as well as initially inhibit non-cancer cells. Thus, M. alliacea extract selectively targets T3-HA mouse cancer cells but not NIH Swiss embryonic mouse cells. Future research may consider the use of this plant for human cancer patients.