EVALUATION OF THE ANTIPROLIFERATIVE AND ANTIMITOTIC EEFECTS OF WATER EXTRACT OF Piper nigrum SEEDS USING THE Allium cepa ASSAY

SEINO Richard Akwanjoh^1&2, ENDUM Lucas AKACHA¹, NGYANYIYI Abdoul²

1. Laboratory for Genetic Toxicology & Orthopterology (LAGTO), Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, P.O. Box 39 Bambili- Bamenda, Cameroon.

• Applied Biology and Ecology Research Unit (URBEA), Department of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang. P.O. Box 57 Dschang, West Region, Cameroon.

ABSTRACT

Background: Many bioactive substances in plants have the potentials to affect physiological processes in both plants and animals. One of the most common tests used in the evaluation of antimitotic and antiproliferation properties of plant extracts is the Allium cepa assay.

Aim:

This study was aimed to screen the seeds of P. nigrum, a common spice used in Cameroonian cuisines, for antiproliferative and antimitotic properties to and hence confirm their anticancer activity.

Materials and Methods:

Onion bulbs were treated to various concentration of the water extracts of dried seeds of P. nigrum for 72 hours. To determine the antiproliferative and antimitotic effects of the extracts, the onion bulbs were examined for sprouting of new roots, growth in length of the roots, mitotic indices and chromosomal abnormalities.

Results and conclusion:

The extracts were antiproliferative and antimitotic to the roots of A. cepa. The number of roots sprouted, the length of the roots and mitotic index (MI) significantly decreased with increase in concentration of the extract. Chromosomal aberrations such as chromosome bridges, chromosome laggards, chromosome stickiness and vagrants were recorded indicating the cytogenotoxic nature of the extracts.  

Key words: Antiproliferative, Antimitotic, water extract, P. nigrum seeds, allium cepa.