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Phytochemical Screening of Medicinal Plants of the Kakamega Country, Kenya Commonly Used against Cancer

Dominic O Ochwang’I, Charles N Kimwele, Jemimah A Oduma, Peter K Gathumbi, Stephen G Kiama and Thomas Efferth

Phytochemical constituents of 35 selected anticancer medicinal plant extracts were analyzed by thin layer chromatography (TLC) for alkaloids, anthraquinones, xanthines, valepotriates, cardiac glycosides, flavonoids, essential oils, coumarins, lignans, saponins and arbutin compounds. These plants sourced from Kakamega tropical rain forest have been previously reported to be used for cancer treatment in the Kakamega County, Kenya. The medicinal plants investigated were Harungana madagascariensis Lam. ex poir, Fuerstia africana T.C.E. Fr., Sida rhombifolia L., Zanthoxylum rubescens Hook. f, Bridelia micrantha (Hochst.) Baill, Juniperus procera Endl., Tragia brevipes Pax, Phyllanthus sapialis, Conyza sumatrensis, Momordica foetida Schumach., Synsepalum cerasiferum Synonym: Afrosersalisia cerasifera (Welw.) Aubrev, Aloe volkensii Engl, Aeschynomene abyssinica (A. Rich.) Vatke, Futumia africana Benth. Cyphostemma serpens (A. Rich), Ipomoea cairica (L.), Spathodea campanulata P. Beauv. ssp. nilotica (Seem), Abrus precatorius L. ssp africanus Verdc., Triumfetta rhomboidea Jacq., Psydrax schimperiana (A.Rich), Ficus thonningii, Rotheca myricoides (Hochst. Steane and Mabb), Croton macrostachyus Delile, Vernonia lasiopus O Hoffin, Albizia gummifera (J.F. Gmel.), Zanthoxylum gilletii (De Wild.) P.G. Waterman, Microglossa pyrifolia (Lam.)Kuntze, Senna didymobotyra (Fresen.) Irwinand Barneby, Trichilia emetica Vahl, Entada abyssinica Steud.ex A.Rich., Shirakiopsis elliptica (Hochst.)Esser Synonym: Sapium ellipticum (Hochst.kraus) Pax, Ocimum gratissimum L.Suave wiild O.tomentosum oliv., Prunus africana (Hook.f.) Kalkman, Phyllanthus fischeri Pax and Olea hotch spp. Hochstetteri. The phytochemical distribution in the 35 plants included:71.4% alkaloids, 57.1% anthraquinones, 94.2% xanthines, 82.8% valepotriates, 94.2% cardioactive glycosides, 82.8% flavonoids, 77.1% essential oils, 85.7% coumarin drugs, 68.5% lignans, 80% saponins and 62.85% arbutin drugs. Our findings provided evidence that crude organic and inorganic solvent extracts of these tested plants contain medicinally important bioactive compounds and provide a rational basis for their use in traditional medicine.