Effect of Medicinal Plants used by Tribes on Cancer and Bacteria

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The ultimate goal of this proposed work is to find new naturally occurring active components against cancer and bacteria. Cancer is one of the major causes of death in the U.S. and accounts for 22% of all annual deaths. The discovery of new potential anti-cancer drugs and their mechanism of action can lead to significant progress in the treatment of cancer. Interest in the use of natural products as potential sources of antibacterial agents has increased over the last decade due to an urgent need to identify novel substances active towards pathogens with high resistance. The critical role of medicinal plants is being widely recognized in the biochemical and biomedical world as well as in the pharmaceutical industry. However, scientific knowledge concerning biologically active components in medicinal plants is still in its early stages. For centuries, Native American tribes have used medicinal plants to treat a broad range of diseases. Two plants in particular are currently being used by Native Americans in New Mexico, to treat various types of diseases, including cancer: Ligusticum porteri (Osha), and Anemopsis California (Yerba Manza). Significant research regarding Ligusticum porteri and Anemopsis California is extremely limited. The work proposed in this application focuses on I) screening for possible biologically active components against cancer and bacteria; ii) their structure determination. Soxhlet extractions, cytotoxicity tests, biological activity screening, chromatographic separations, NMR and Mass spectrometry, are techniques that will be utilized to scientifically explore these medicinal plants for anticancer and antibacterial components. Narrative Interest in the use of natural products as potential sources of anticancer and antibacterial agents has increased over the last decade due to an urgent need to identify novel substances active towards cancer and pathogens with high resistance. Biological active components of A. California and L. Porteri might be promising as anticancer and/or antitibiotic agents. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Interest in the use of natural products as potential sources of anticancer and antibacterial agents has increased over the last decade due to an urgent need to identify novel substances active towards cancer and pathogens with high resistance. Biological active components of A. Californica and L. Porteri might be promising as anticancer and/or antitibiotic agents.