ANTI-ANGIOGENIC POTENTIAL OF PYCNANTHUS ANGOLENSIS (WELW.) WARB. STEMBARK EXTRACT: PHYTOCHEMICAL PROFILING, ENDOTHELIAL CELL ASSAYS, AND CAM MODEL EVALUATION

Abstract

Abstract
Pycnanthus angolensis (African nutmeg) is a medicinal tree traditionally used in West Africa to treat inflammatory conditions, infections, and tumor-like growths. Despite ethnomedicinal claims, there is a paucity of data on its potential to modulate angiogenesis, a critical process in cancer progression. This study investigated the anti-angiogenic activity of P. angolensis stembark extract through phytochemical characterization, in vitro endothelial migration and tube formation assays, and in vivo chick chorioallantois membrane (CAM) assay. Methanol extract and solvent fractions (hexane, ethyl acetate, aqueous) were screened for phytochemicals and tested for cytotoxicity against human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) via MTT assay, with IC₅₀ values of 142.6 μg/mL (methanol), 95.4 μg/mL (hexane), 48.7 μg/mL (ethyl acetate), and >200 μg/mL (aqueous). Sub-cytotoxic concentrations were evaluated for effects on wound healing migration, tube formation, and VEGF expression (ELISA). CAM assays assessed vessel density and branching after 48 h of treatment. The ethyl acetate fraction exhibited the strongest anti-angiogenic activity, inhibiting migration by 64.2% ± 2.1, tube formation by 68.4% ± 1.9, CAM vessel density by 61.5% ± 2.5, and VEGF levels by 58.7% ± 1.8 (p < .001). These findings support P. angolensis as a promising source of natural angiogenesis inhibitors and justify further work towards isolating bioactive compounds.