Cape Verde endemic medicinal plants: chemical characterization and assessment of antitumoral potential of selected species in colorectal cancer cells

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the 3 rd most common worldwide, associated with high mortality rates on both genders [ 1 ]. Inherited forms of CRC represent only 5-10% of cases, so the importance of environmental factors in CRC development is a growing research focus. Currently, more than 60% of the available anticancer drugs in the clinic are derived from natural sources, so the Cape Verde flora, with 92 endemic species widely used in traditional medicine, although without scientific validation, are a potential source of antitumoral compounds [ 2 ]. For this study, we selected three species: Artemisia gorgonum Webb (AG) , Lavandula rotundifolia Benth. (LR) and Daucus carota subsp. a nnuus (Bég.) Mart.Flores, D.M.Spooner & M.B.Crespo (DC). Infusion (I), decoction (D) and hydroalcoholic extracts (EtOH 80%) were prepared to mimic the preparations made by traditional healers. The extracts were chemically characterized by HPLC-ESI-MSn and ATR-FTIR was used to characterize the presence of functional groups and to identify specific fingerprint regions. Cytotoxicity of these extracts was assessed in vitro (0.05-1.0 mg/mL) using the CRC cell line WiDr and the normal human colon tissue cell line CCD-841, by measuring cell viability (detecting the amount of ATP) and cell mass (sulforhodamine B assay). EtOH 80% extracts of AG and LR showed selective cytotoxic profile for tumoral cells, so flow cytometry was performed to evaluate the impact on cell cycle arrest, and micro-FTIR to evaluate the impact of the compounds on cell’s behaviour and environment. The evaluation of best concentrations’ effect in a 3D in vitro spheroid cell model is ongoing. Publication History Article published online: 05 March 2026 © 2026. Thieme. All rights reserved. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Oswald-Hesse-Straße 50, 70469 Stuttgart, Germany