Studies on Anticancer Substances in Ethnic Crude Drugs and Unused Medicinal Resources of East Africa

从植物和海洋产品中分离出了许多天然的抗癌物质，并在各个研究所对其进行了化学修饰，以进一步提高其作为药物的有效性和安全性。其中一些化合物用作临床药物。目前对天然资源中抗癌物质的研究还有待进一步深入。因此，为了在热带植物中发现新的抗癌物质，我们于1993年在东非，特别是在肯尼亚、坦桑尼亚和马达加斯加进行了实地研究。对于采集植物的选择，我们采用了部落传统药物和未利用的药用资源的方法。研究共采集植物110种。在这些植物中，一些物种已经尝试进行生理活性测试，并且从首次筛选试验的结果来看，如eb病毒激活抑制试验，对人外周血淋巴细胞和小鼠脾淋巴细胞的刺激指数以及对HGC-27细胞的生长抑制，预计将表现出抗癌活性。对于其他物种，将进行与抗癌活性有关的筛选试验，以从这些植物中找到有用的天然产物。

Many naturally occurring anticancer substances have isolated from plants and marine products, and also their chemical modifications tried for further effect and safety as medicine in various institutes. Some these compounds are used as clinical medicines. More study on anticancer substance in natural resources is desired at present. Therefore, in order to find new anticancer substances in the tropical plants, the field researches in East Africa, especially, in Kenya, Tanzania and Madagascar were carried out by us in 1993.For selection of collecting plants, we have adapted an approach to traditional medicines of tribes and unused medicinal resources.A total of 110 species of plants was collected during the research. Among these plants, some species have been tried to test physiological activities, and were expected to exhibit anticancer activity from results of first screening tests such as an inhibition test on EB-virus activation, a stimulation index on human peripheral blood lymphocytes and mouse spleen lymphocytes and a growth inhibition of HGC-27 cells.For the other species, a screening test related to anticancer activity will be done to find useful natural products from the plants.