Antiproliferative, Antioxidant and Antiplasmodial activities of the root bark of Adenodolichos paniculatus (Hua) Hutch (Fabaceae).

Introduction: Cancer remains a global public problem and the discovery of novel antiproliferative agents from herbal medicine may provide a lasting solution to this menace. This study aimed to investigate the phytoconstituents, antioxidants, antiproliferative and antiplasmodial activities of the root bark extracts of Adenodolichos paniculatus. Plants have continued to be a major source of new drugs template for the treatment of various diseases. Methods: The phytoconstituents of the extracts of Adenodolichos paniculatus were evaluated by standard phytochemical analysis methods. Phytochemical screening, evaluation of total phenolic and flavonoid contents were investigated employing standard phytochemical methods. The extracts were equally subjected to antiproliferative (A2780 ovarian cancer cell assay), antiplasmodial (Dd2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum), antioxidant (DPPH, FRAP and ABTS methods) and brine shrimp lethality assay studies. Results: The phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of various phytochemicals in Adenodolichos paniculatus extracts. The DCM extract was found to possess the high levels of total phenolic and flavonoids contents with notable potential antiproliferative (IC50 = 0.14 μg/ml), antiplasmodial (IC50 = 7.50 μg/ml) and cytotoxic (brine shrimp, IC50 = 0.547 μg/ml) activities. Both HME and AQE showed a good antiproliferative activity but were found to be inactive against the drug-resistant Dd2 strain of Plasmodium falciparum with an IC50 value ˃ 100μg/mL. Conclusion: The study revealed the potential capability of Adenodolichos paniculatus as a promising source of lead for the development of potent antiproliferative drugs. However, further investigations are needed to identify and characterize the active constituents. Keywords: Adenodolichos paniculatus, Fabaceae, Phytochemicals, A2780, Plasmodium falciparum, antioxidant.