Extraction, Characterization and Anticancer Properties of Natural Antioxidants from Omani Indigenous Plants

Cancer is one of the most common human chronic diseases worldwide with high mortality rates. It represents the second leading cause of deaths worldwide. Recent advances in the pathogenesis, diagnostics and management of cancer have strongly impacted its primary prevention using therapeutic dietary intervention. High risk groups of cancer might seek to prevent and reduce their risk by complementary alternative medicine, as an alternative to surgery or chemotherapy. In this context, wild plants are rich in bioactive components and, hence possessing therapeutic values. There are many indigenous plant species/varieties grown in Oman which can be used for medicinal purposes because of their bioactive constituents (phenolic and flavonoids compounds). In this research project, we propose to explore these plants for optimized extraction of bioactive compounds and to investigate their anticancer properties. We hypothesized that these extracts act as dietary bioactive agents and prevent oxidative stress-associated carcinogenesis. To date, no study has been conducted on the synergistic effect of these plants which will add a medicinal and health properties in the field of cancer chemoprevention. In addition, this research will provide a baseline data for: (1) the identification of the active compounds presents in these plants, and (2) the anticancer properties using in-vitro human cultured cells. An expected benefit for this project is to formulate a super combination of these active compounds based on their anti-oxidant/free radical scavenging ability to cause growth inhibition and death of cancer cells.