Anti-Neoplastic and Cytotoxicity Potency Measuring of Five Medicago sativa L. (Alfalfa) Leaf Extracts Towards Melanoma (UACC62), Breast (MCF7), Prostate (PC3), and Colon (HCT116) Cancer Cells

Abstract

The National Cancer Registry of the National Department of Health of South Africa confirms that in females, the highest incidence of cancers diagnosed in the year 2019 was breast (10 172 cases), cervical (6 945 cases) and colorectal (1 952 cases) cancers, while in males the most diagnosed cancers were prostate, lung, and colorectal neoplasms. The risk factors that promote cancer development, and metastasis or spreading includes excessive alcohol and narcotic usage, carcinogenic infections (oncoviruses) and genetical predispositions. The global incidence of cancer is much likely to increase because of the increased exposure to risk factors (processed fast foods, industrial toxins in air and water) that promote oxidative stress, low grade chronic inflammation, diabetes mellitus, hyperglycemia, and insulin resistance. Because the ancient healer or doctor relied on plants and other natural resources for therapeutic compounds, we wanted to measure the anti-cancer actions induced by our Alfac-facah leaf extracts towards four major cancer cells. The growth inhibitory and cytotoxicity activity that was induced by our extracts was measured using the reliable Sulforhodamine B Assay as per the collaborative research program between the CSIR’s Biosciences Pharmacology Group and the NCI. Our Alfac-facah leaf test material was extracted using five solvents: Ethanol, Methanol, Diethyl-ether, Acetone, and Water. Medicinal Plants persist to play a key role in medicine, whereby they not only help with treating or preventing diseases, but they also contribute to the general wellbeing of the patient. For this reason, natural resources remain a pivotal ingredient of novel drug development compounds. Key words: NCI (National Cancer Institute, U.S Department of Health and Human Services), CSIR (The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, South Africa), Medicago sativa L. (Alfalfa), Sulforhodamine B Assay (SRB), ECACC (European Collection of Authenticated Cell Cultures, UK), Cancer (malignancy, neoplasm, carcinoma, tumour, sarcoma, leukemia, lymphoma), AICR (American Institute for Cancer Research), International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), THC (delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol). Rick Simpson oil (RSO).