The effect of environmental stressors on the anticancer potential of Amaranthus hypochondriacus aqueous extracts and fractions.

Some Amaranthus species have been shown to have pharmacological properties such as activity against cancer, and it is also used as a traditional herbal medicine in many rural parts of the world. The (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-Yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay was used as a screening tool to determine the approximate cell viability inhibitory concentrations of methanol and aqueous crude extracts of Amaranthus spp. The extracts were screened using small-cell lung cancer (H69V), hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2/C3A) and non-cancerous kidney cells (Vero) cell lines. Viability was assessed following exposure to a series of concentrations of each extract and A. hypochondriacus showed cytotoxicity of 70.55 µg/mL against H69V with a Si index of 1.8. The fractionated aqueous extract of 40 °C-treated A. hypochondriacus under well-watered conditions had a higher viability inhibition on H69V and Vero cell lines compared to the A. caudatus, A. cruentus and A. spinosus crude extracts. In conclusion, A. hypochondriacus could serve as a potential source of anticancer phytoconstituents for drug development.