No abstract

Cancer is a heterogeneous disease and one of the major issues of health concern, especially for the public health system globally. Nature is a source of anticancer drugs with abundant pool of diverse chemicals and pharmacologically active compounds. In recent decade, some natural products and synthetic analogs have been investigated for the cancer treatment. This article presents the utilization of natural products as a source of antitumor drugs.

Prostate cancer is a heterogeneous disease, the second deadliest malignancy in men and the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men. Traditional plants have been applied to handle various diseases and to develop new drugs. Medicinal plants are potential sources of natural bioactive compounds that include alkaloids, phenolic compounds, terpenes, and steroids. Many of these naturally-occurring bioactive constituents possess promising chemopreventive properties. In this sense, the aim of the present review is to provide a detailed overview of the role of plant-derived phytochemicals in prostate cancers, including the contribution of plant extracts and its corresponding isolated compounds.

Apium plants belong to the Apiaceae family and are included among plants that have been in use in traditional medicine for thousands of years worldwide, including in the Mediterranean, as well as the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and Africa. Some highlighted medical benefits include prevention of coronary and vascular diseases. Their phytochemical constituents consist of bergapten, flavonoids, glycosides, furanocoumarins, furocoumarin, limonene, psoralen, xanthotoxin, and selinene. Some of their pharmacological properties include anticancer, antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, nematocidal, anti-rheumatism, antiasthma, anti-bronchitis, hepatoprotective, appetizer, anticonvulsant, antispasmodic, breast milk inducer, anti-jaundice, antihypertensive, anti-dysmenorrhea, prevention of cardiovascular diseases, and spermatogenesis induction. The present review summarizes data on ecology, botany, cultivation, habitat, medicinal use, phytochemical composition, preclinical and clinical pharmacological efficacy of Apium plants and provides future direction on how to take full advantage of Apium plants for the optimal benefit to mankind.

Single pot green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) was successfully carried out using medicinal plant extract of Acalypha wilkesiana via bottom-up approach. Five imperative operational parameters (pH, contact time, concentration, volume ratio and temperature) pivotal to the synthesis of silver nanoparticles were investigated. The study showed pH 9, 90 min contact time, 0.001 M Ag+ concentration, volume ratio 1:9 (extract: Ag+ solution), and temperature between 90 – 100 °C were important for the synthesis of Acalypha wilkesiana silver nanoparticles (AW-AgNPs). Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of saponins, flavonoids, phenols and triterpenes for A. wilkesiana. These phytomolecules served as both capping and stabilizing agent in the green synthesis of silver nanoparticles. AW-AgNPs was characterized by UV-Vis Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX). The surface Plasmon resonance (SPR) was observed at 450 nm which is a characteristic absorbance region of AW-AgNPs formation as a result of the collective oscillation of free electron of silver nanoparticles. FTIR Spectroscopy confirmed the presence of functional groups responsible for bioreduction of Ag+. SEM and TEM results confirmed a well dispersed AW-AgNPs of spherical shape. EDX shows the elemental distribution and confirmed AgNPs with a characteristic intense peak at 3.0 keV. AW-AgNPs showed significant inhibition against selected Gram negative and Gram positive prevailing bacteria. AW-AgNPs can therefore be recommended as potential antimicrobial and therapeutic agent against multidrug resistant pathogens.