Can Kuwaiti desert plant Farsetia aegyptia kill cancer cells?
Al labanah known for anti-diabetic, anti-spasmodic value
Attract
have seen that Kuwait’s desert plant Farsetia aegyptia contains extracts having the potential to kill cancer cells. Medicinal herbs are significant source of synthetic and herbal drugs. So far, pharmaceutical companies have screened more than 25,000 plants for anti-cancer drugs. So many hopes to discover the anticancer activity of the phenolic compounds isolated from terrestrial desert plants. The phenolic extract of the aerial parts of the medicinal plant Farsetia aegyptia (Forssk.) Boiss. exhibited cytotoxicity against some types of cancerous cells.
Al labanah, a highly suitable and adaptable plant for the Kuwait desert, can be found mainly in sandy soils. The nick name “fried egg plant” has been used because the seeds look exactly similar to a fried egg with middle yellow colored egg yolk surrounded by egg white (see the picture). Genetic and morphological variations are high in Farsetia even within a small community. In Kuwait desert, these variations are so common from place to place that’s why ecologists say the biodiversity of Kuwait is so special.
Farsetia is one of the best suitable associate plant species of Rhanterium community, the national plant of Kuwait. These associations make the ecosystem productive and diverse. The partners, Rhanterium epapposum (arfaj) and Farsetia together attract ants and other rodents to the desert soil and ultimately the animals will appear. So it is very important to protect and conserve Farsetia aegyptia up to a significant level before being extinct due to man made problems.
Al labanah (Farsetia aegyptia Turra.) is one of the most common native perennial species found in the uninterrupted sandy soils. It belongs to Brassica family (Brassicaceae) and has great potential to adapt with urban landscape conditions and is a valuable fodder too. The plant is grey/white green, perennial about 30 to 40 cm high and can spread up to 1 meter cover. It has slender, smooth and multi-branched stems. The flower color varies from grey, white, creamy, brown and even pink with four petals. Two rows of seeds are formed in an oval-shaped seed pod. It flowers during March - April in desert conditions however, it can flower year round if getting moisture. The propagation is through seeds and which is very easy. F. aegyptia is now an exceedingly rare perennial because of mass destruction. Since the propagation and establishment remains easy conservation can be done by large-scale use in landscape programs.
Farsetia aegyptia is a pale plant with insignificant leaves and a distinc- tive oval seed pod that becomes papery to reveal the six round seeds inside. Its ability to regenerate from stems and roots is remarkable especially when damaged.
Medicinal value
Farsetia aegyptia is medicinal plant, has been known to be used by the native Bedouins as an antidiabetic, antispasmodic, for relive of rheumatic pains and taking as a cooling medicine after pounding. Family Brassicaceae is one of the largest families in the plant kingdom which is rich in medicinal plants. It includes 338 genera and 3350 species that are distributed worldwide. The plants of this family are used as anti-diabetic, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-cancer, anti-rheumatic and show a potent insecticidal effect.
Recent studies carried out in Egypt revealed that the crude extract of Farsetia aegyptia had various cytotoxic activities against selected cancerous cells. Likewise, the some secondary metabolites isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction, fractionated from the crude extract, had diverse cytotoxic activity against non small cell lung adenocarcinoma. In addition, the new compound kampferol diglucopyranoside showed high significant cytotoxic activity against different cell lines. Flavonoids and triterpenes are common components of the human diet and appear to be of interest in cancer prevention or therapy. Considering that many chemotherapeutic agents against tumor cells without sparing normal cells remain a major obstacle and development of multi drug resistance further limits chemotherapy in cancer, the promising results will stimulate the development of flavonoids for cancer chemoprevention and chemotherapy.
Significant studies on the medicinal properties of this Kuwaiti plant are still lacking in the country. Since Kuwait plants are so unique in nature, there might be a chance to dig up highly effective medicines from this plant. Hence, it is crucial to take necessary steps to protect this plant and its community without any further delay.
Author is available at jkpaily@yahoo.com held on April 16 and Pakistani teams will be held on April 17, at the KC Sulaibiya grounds at 7:00 pm. British Carnival/Car Boot Sale: This summer’s main event! British Carnival and massive Car Boot Sale, over 100 vendor spaces available:
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The completions will be held for Bharathanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Folk Dance, Group Dance, Light Music, Classical Music, Fancy Dress, Elocution (English & Malayalam), Essay (English & Malayalam), Recitation (English & Malayalam) in 6 different stages in the venue.
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