Annona senegalensis pers, Sutherlandia frutescens (L.), and Withania somnifera (L.) are abundant plants and widely distributed in the Limpopo, Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal, North West and Mpumalanga provinces in South Africa. The three plants are among those used by traditional healers and herbalists in South Africa for the treatment of a variety of diseases, including cancer. The current study aimed at the phytochemical screening and characterization of volatile compounds from the three medicinal plants using GC-MS. The methanol leaf extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening using standard chemical tests to detect the presence of different classes of compounds. Volatile compounds were detected by GC-MS analysis, and detected compounds were identified by comparing the MS spectral data with those of compounds deposited in the NIST Library (NIST08). Phytochemical screening indicated the presence of different secondary metabolites such as alkaloids, quinones, steroids, cardiac glycosides, coumarins, and terpenoids in all plants. GC-MS chromatograms allowed the detection and identification of 19 volatile compounds among the three plants with known bioactivities that are important in the management of life-threatening diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The results confirm the leaves of Annona senegalensis, Sutherlandia frutescens, and Withania somnifera as sources of important phytochemicals and therefore justify their use for the treatment of various diseases by traditional healers.

Plants have long been used as sources of natural compounds with therapeutic benefits, providing molecules capable of inhibiting multiple kinases. Many medicinal plants are recognized for their anticancer properties and may offer ways to mitigate the adverse effects of conventional cancer treatments. In this study, the potential of Ziziphus mucronata methanol extract as a kinase inhibitor was assessed using the MTT assay, a universal kinase assay, and a human phosphokinase antibody array, along with a GC-MS analysis of volatile anticancer compounds. The MTT assay revealed strong cytotoxicity in A549 cells, with an IC₅₀ of 31.25 µg/mL, while HeLa cells showed weaker cytotoxicity with an IC₅₀ of 125 µg/mL. In comparison, paclitaxel exhibited potent inhibitory effects on A549 cells (IC₅₀ of 31.25 µg/mL) and moderate inhibition on HeLa cells (IC₅₀ of 65 µg/mL). Enzyme activity, measured by ADP production in the ADP-Glo assay, indicated that the extract inhibited protein kinase activity in both A549 and HeLa cells after 24 h of treatment. Additionally, the human phosphokinase antibody array, which includes 44 pre-spotted kinases, showed that the extract downregulated multiple phosphorylated kinases in both cell lines. Some of the affected kinases, such as TOR, Fyn, HcK, Fgr, STAT5b, PLC-γ1, p38α, ERK1/2, AMPKA, Akt1/2, GSK-3α/β, MSK1/2, CREB, RSK1/2/3, PLC-γ1, and STAT5a are critical regulators of various cellular processes, including apoptosis, differentiation, and proliferation. The findings of this study suggest that extract from Z. mucronata may have the capacity to regulate protein kinase activity, highlighting their significant potential as growth inhibitors for cancer cells.

The apoptotic mechanism is complex and involves many pathways. Defects can occur at any time along these pathways, resulting in malignant cell transformation and resistance to anticancer drugs. Collective efforts have made great progress in the implementation of natural products in clinical use and in discovering new therapeutic opportunities. This study aimed to screen volatile compounds of Warburgia salutaris leaf extracts and investigate their pro-apoptotic effects on MCF-7 cells. The approach was mainly based on determining cell viability using MTT and scratch assays, and DNA synthesis and damage using BrdU and comet assays, respectively. DAPI/PI stains were used for morphological analysis and expression was determined by RT-PCR and human apoptotic proteome profiler. Warburgia salutaris extracts exhibited antiproliferative effects on MCF-7 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Acetone and methanol extracts exhibited low IC₅₀ at 24, 48 and 72 h. Furthermore, the scratch test revealed that MCF-7 does not metastasise when treated with IC₅₀. Expression showed upregulation of pro-apoptotic proteins and executioner caspases. Taken together, these findings suggest that leaves can promote apoptosis through the intrinsic apoptotic pathway, as observed by upregulation of the Bax and caspase 3 proteins. This paper provides new insights into the mechanisms of action of W. salutaris leaf extracts in the development of anticancer drugs.

Mucronata, spina-christi, muaritiani, oxphylla, xylopyrus, and lotus are few of the many medical plant species found in the genus Ziziphus. Most of the Ziziphus’s species have established pharmacological effects. Phytopharmacological constituents such as jujuboside A and B have been isolated from the genus: Ziziphus and have been reported to possess potential health benefits. The literature for this review was conducted by searching various scientific electronic databases. Additional information was derived from other sources in the literature (books and journals). The review highlights the pharmacological studies of the Ziziphus genus and the jujuboside A and B compounds. The Ziziphus plant species as well as Jujuboside A and B compounds have being studied and reported to possess valuable pharmacological activities. Both the Ziziphus species and compounds possess vast potential health benefits that warrant further scientific exploration.

Although medicinal plants possess vast biological properties, crude medicinal plant extracts often show limited therapeutic efficacy due to poor aqueous solubility, instability, and inadequate bioavailability, which restricts efficient intracellular delivery. As cancer is a genetic disease requiring intracellular and nuclear targeting, improved delivery systems are essential. Warburgia salutaris is traditionally used in Southern Africa and possesses reported anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its crude extracts exhibit suboptimal delivery characteristics. This study comparatively evaluated the anticancer effects of unencapsulated (WSN) and liposomal-encapsulated (WSE) crude leaf extracts, with emphasis on apoptotic mechanisms. Liposomal formulation was confirmed by FTIR, PXRD, and DLS, yielding stable nanoparticles (159.4 nm; PDI 0.114; +79.3 mV). Both WSN and WSE demonstrated efficacy, concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC50 < 0.0195 mg/mL) with minimal toxicity toward Vero kidney cells and Raw 264.7 macrophages. Mechanistically, WSN induced rapid cytotoxicity with necrotic features, whereas WSE promoted regulated apoptosis. Apoptosis was validated by DAPI/PI staining, Annexin V/PI flow cytometry, mRNA expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 measured with RT-PCR and proteome profiling array confirming activation of intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Both extracts also reduced LPS-induced ROS production. LC-MS identified multiple bioactive phytochemicals. Overall, liposomal encapsulation enhanced therapeutic precision, stability, and selectivity cytotoxicity, supporting its development as a nanomedicine-based anticancer strategy.

Although medicinal plants possess vast biological properties, crude medicinal plant extracts often show limited therapeutic efficacy due to poor aqueous solubility, instability, and inadequate bioavailability, which restricts efficient intracellular delivery. As cancer is a genetic disease requiring intracellular and nuclear targeting, improved delivery systems are essential. Warburgia salutaris is traditionally used in Southern Africa and possesses reported anticancer and anti-inflammatory properties; however, its crude extracts exhibit suboptimal delivery characteristics. This study comparatively evaluated the anticancer effects of unencapsulated (WSN) and liposomal-encapsulated (WSE) crude leaf extracts, with emphasis on apoptotic mechanisms. Liposomal formulation was confirmed by FTIR, PXRD, and DLS, yielding stable nanoparticles (159.4 nm; PDI 0.114; +79.3 mV). Both WSN and WSE demonstrated efficacy and concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against MCF-7 breast cancer cells (IC₅₀ < 0.0195 mg/mL) with minimal toxicity toward Vero kidney cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages. Mechanistically, WSN induced rapid cytotoxicity with necrotic features, whereas WSE promoted regulated apoptosis. Apoptosis was validated by DAPI/PI staining, Annexin V/PI flow cytometry, mRNA expression levels of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 measured with RT-PCR and proteome profiling array, confirming activation of intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Both extracts also reduced LPS-induced ROS production. LC-MS identified multiple bioactive phytochemicals. Overall, liposomal encapsulation enhanced therapeutic precision, stability, and selectivity cytotoxicity, supporting its development as a nanomedicine-based anticancer strategy.