Antiangiogenic effects of the hydroethanolic root extract of Croton membranaceus in chick chorioallantoic membrane

Abstract Angiogenesis plays a pivotal role in the growth, progression, and metastatic spread of cancer cells. However, the clinical utility of current anti-angiogenic agents has been limited by the emergence of drug resistance, thereby highlighting the need for novel therapeutic candidates, including natural products. Croton membranaceus has previously been shown to suppress prostate cancer cell growth and may represent a potential anti-angiogenic agent. In this study, we investigated the effect of C. membranaceus hydroethanolic root extract (CMERE) on new blood vessel formation using the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. Vascular density, length, area, and branching were assessed in the CAM following treatment. Spatial distribution and organization of blood vessels were further analyzed using lacunarity as a measure of heterogeneity. CMERE significantly reduced vessel density, length, and diameter in the CAM. The extract also disrupted the normal vascular tree structure, decreasing the number of junctions and microcirculatory routes. In addition, CMERE suppressed total vascular indices, as reflected by reductions in both the number of vessels that arise from umbilical vessels, measured from the base of the umbilicus, and the number of terminal endpoints formed by these vessels. These findings demonstrate that the hydroethanolic root extract of Croton membranaceus effectively inhibits angiogenesis in the chick chorioallantoic membrane, supporting its potential as a source of anti-angiogenic agents for prostate cancer therapy and perhaps treatment of other solid tumours.