{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T13:27:46Z","timestamp":1767792466368,"version":"3.49.0"},"reference-count":47,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767744000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"ICGEB HDIs Programme, Cape Town, South Africa"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pharmaceuticals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: The global fight against cancer persists despite advances in prevention and treatment. The current study investigated the phytochemical constituents, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer properties of Eucomis comosa, traditionally used in South Africa to treat elephantiasis and cancer-related conditions. Methods: Phytochemical screening, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and liquid chromatography\u2013mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analyses were conducted. Antioxidant activity was measured through DPPH and nitric oxide (NO) radical scavenging assays. The anticancer activity was assessed using the MTT assay. Results: Phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of alkaloids, cardiac glycosides, terpenoids, flavonoids, saponins, and phlobatannins. FTIR analysis of the aqueous extract displayed characteristic peaks at 3278.92 cm\u22121 for O\u2013H stretch, at 2930.67 cm\u22121 for C\u2013H stretch, at 1623.97 cm\u22121 for C=O stretch, 1410.24 cm\u22121 for C=C stretch and at 931.17 cm\u22121 for =C\u2013H, while LC-MS identified diverse metabolites, including polyphenols such as flavan-3-ols, flavone glycosides, and chalcones. Among the extracts, methanol showed the strongest DPPH scavenging activity (IC50 = 972.73 \u00b5g\/mL), followed by ethanol (1296.36 \u00b5g\/mL). For NO scavenging, methanol again outperformed ethanol, with IC50 values of 1301 \u00b5g\/mL and 2890 \u00b5g\/mL, respectively. Cytotoxicity assays demonstrated that the ethanol extract completely inhibited cell growth at concentrations of 100 and 200 \u00b5g\/mL. Methanol, ethanol, and hexane extracts significantly suppressed cell proliferation in DU-145, PC-3, and SKU-T-1 cancer cell lines at higher concentrations, with IC50 values ranging between 0.2 and 2.5 \u00b5g\/mL. Conclusions: These findings indicate that the phytochemicals and functional groups present in E. comosa extracts contribute to their dose-dependent antioxidant and anticancer activities, supporting their ethnomedicinal use.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ph19010104","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]],"date-time":"2026-01-07T09:34:12Z","timestamp":1767778452000},"page":"104","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["In Vitro Evaluation of the Anticancer and Pharmacological Activities of Eucomis comosa (Houtt.) H.R. Wehrh."],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0613-2808","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Thando","family":"Bhanisa","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases and Medicinal Plants Research Niche Area, Botany Department, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7140-8327","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Siphamandla Qhubekani Njabuliso","family":"Lamula","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases and Medicinal Plants Research Niche Area, Botany Department, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Anathi","family":"Dambuza","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0527-1750","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Martha","family":"Wium","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Weirner & Beit Building, Anzio Rd, Observatory, Cape Town 7935, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1086-4588","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juliano Domiraci","family":"Paccez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Weirner & Beit Building, Anzio Rd, Observatory, Cape Town 7935, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0736-9508","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Luiz Fernando","family":"Zerbini","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Weirner & Beit Building, Anzio Rd, Observatory, Cape Town 7935, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9031-1117","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Callistus","family":"Bvenura","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Horticultural Sciences Department, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Symphony Way, Bellville, Cape Town 7535, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1592-9459","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lisa Valencia","family":"Buwa-Komoreng","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Infectious Diseases and Medicinal Plants Research Niche Area, Botany Department, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, University of Fort Hare, Private Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"72","DOI":"10.1186\/s43094-021-00223-5","article-title":"Ethnomedicinal Herbs in African Traditional Medicine with Potential Activity for the Prevention, Treatment, and Management of Coronavirus Disease 2019","volume":"7","author":"Adeleye","year":"2021","journal-title":"Futur. 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