IN-VITRO CYTOTOXICITY OF MAMMEA AFRICANA AND CALOPHYLLUM INOPHYLLUM METHANOL EXTRACTS AGAINST H460 LUNG CANCER CELLS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY USING THE MTT ASSAY

Natural plant extracts have gained interest in cancer research due to their potential therapeutic properties. This study investigates the in-vitro cytotoxic effects and phytochemical composition of Mammea africana stem bark and Calophyllum inophyllum leaves methanol extracts against H460 lung cancer cells using the MTT assay, with 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) as a standard control. Phytochemical screening revealed that M. africana had high terpenoid content and moderate levels of flavonoids, tannins, and phenolics, while C. inophyllum had higher flavonoid and phenolic content, moderate saponins and terpenoids, and lower tannins and alkaloids. The extraction yields were 12.5% w/w for M. africana and 9.8% w/w for C. inophyllum. Cytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that M. africana exhibited strong cytotoxic effects, with an IC₅₀ value of 2.60 µg/mL, comparable to 5-Fluorouracil (IC₅₀ = 2.71 µg/mL), while C. inophyllum showed moderate cytotoxic activity (IC₅₀ = 30.00 µg/mL). The cytotoxic effects were dose-dependent, with M. africana achieving 97.47% cytotoxicity at 100 µg/mL, whereas C. inophyllum reached 85.4% at the same concentration. The findings suggest that the potent cytotoxic effects of Mammea africana could be attributed to its high terpenoid and tannin content, whereas the moderate activity of C. inophyllum may be linked to its flavonoid and phenolic composition. These results highlight the potential of M. africana as a promising natural anticancer agent, while C. inophyllum may require optimization or combination therapy to enhance its efficacy. Future research should focus on isolating and characterizing active compounds and investigating their mechanisms of action in cancer therapy.