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Abstract
Chewing sticks are commonly used as oral hygiene tool in Nigeria to prevent different types of oral disease including periodontal disease and dental caries. A link has recently been established between periodontal disease and various types of cancers, including lung and breast cancer. The crude extracts of four Nigerian chewing sticks (Fagara zanthoxyloides, Butyrospermum paradoxum, Distemonanthus benthamianus and Nauclea latifolia) were investigated for anticancer activities against four cancer cell lines (Lung A549, Prostate PC-3, Lung NCI-H322, Breast T47D) using Sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay. The result of this study showed that the extracts inhibited the growth of the cells with F. zanthoxyloides having the highest broad spectrum activity against the four cell lines with growth inhibition of 72 %, 71 %, 79 % and 79 % against Lung A549, Prostate PC-3, Lung NCI-H322 and Breast T47D respectively followed by Nauclea latifolia which had a percentage growth inhibition of 70 %, 62 % and 54 % against Lung NCI-H322, Lung A549 and Breast T47D cells lines while showing a weak inhibition of 23 % against Prostate PC-3 cell lines. Butyrospermum paradoxum had the least activity with growth inhibition of 46 %, 56 %, 45 % and 39 % against Lung A549, Prostate PC-3, Lung NCI-H322 and Breast T47D cells lines respectively. D. benthamianus showed selective activity with growth inhibition of 62 %, 34 %, 30 % and 52 % against Lung A549, Prostate PC-3, Lung NCI-H322 and Breast T47D cell lines respectively. The result therefore justifies the use of these plants in traditional medicine and also demonstrates that F. zanthoxyloides could be a good source of anti-cancer drugs.