African plants may prevent the growth of tumours

Researchers have reported that benzophenone, which is found in African plants, could prevent tumours from growing.

Chemicals found in African medicinal plants could reduce tumour growths, according to a new study.
Researchers at Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz (JGU) delivered trials that revealed some potentially startling results from plants found in Cameroon.
"The active substances present in African medicinal plants may be capable of killing off tumour cells that are resistant to more than one drug," commented Professor Thomas Efferth of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Biochemistry – Therapeutic Life Sciences at JGU.
"They thus represent an excellent starting point for the development of new therapeutic treatments for cancers that do not respond to conventional chemotherapy regimens."
Specifically, it is believed that the organic compound benzophenones, which are found in the plants, may possess the ability to override multi-drug resistant cancers.
It is understood that plants with benzophenones are better able to withstand predators and microbial diseases.
"The benzophenones investigated are potentially cytotoxic substances that need to be more extensively investigated with the aim of developing new cancer drugs that are effective against susceptible and resistant cancers", the authors of study noted.