Background: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women, a majority of cases in less developed regions of the world.Traditional medicinal plants provide an important avenue for the development of novel anticancer agents.

Objectives: The anticancer potential of the test material was assessed using different parameters.

Methods: These include secondary metabolite detection and quantification using standard chemical methods and quantitative antioxidant activity assay (DPPH assay), Ferric reducing power, calcium influx determination using a calcium colorimetric assay,EC₅₀ values of the selected plants for their DPPH scavenging and ferric reducing power activities and evaluation of the presence of secondary metabolites.

Results: Finding revealed that anthraquinones, anthocyanins, phlobatannins and saponins were absent. S. pinnata tested positive for proteins and glycosides while T. cilliata for glycosides, and high amount of totalphenolic and flavonoid content in S. plumosum and T. cilliata.S. plumosum extract had the best DPPH scavenging (EC₅₀ = 1.573 mg/ml) and ferric reducing powers (EC₅₀ = 3.374 mg/ml). All the plants at the lowest concentrations tested, inhibited the proliferation of HeLa cells by 50%. The apoptosis inducing ability of the extract in HeLa cells indicate higher calcium influx into cells with increase in extract treatment concentrations. 

Conclusion: The leaf extracts from T. cilliata, S. plumosum and S. pinnata contain compounds of various polarities with free-radical, antioxidant and anti-cancerous activities and may play an important beneficial role in the treatment of cervical cancer.  Further studies are needed to isolate bioactive chemical entities from these plants for further anti-cancer screens.

Keywords: Seriphium plumosum, Schkuhria pinnata, Toona cilliata antioxidant, Cytotoxic, apoptosis, Ca²⁺ influx

Abbreviatiations: DPPH 2, 2-Diphenly-1-picrylhydrazyl