Plants of the Tabernaemontana genus, abundant in Mozambique, are being studied globally for their anticancer potential. Mozambican researcher Silva Mujovo explains how the country is integrated into scientific research.
Plants belonging to the Tabernaemontana genus (family Apocynaceae) are common in several regions of Mozambique. They contain indole alkaloids, a compound with anticancer activity in laboratory and animal studies, showing direct effects on tumor cell lines. Clinical trials in humans have not yet been conducted to confirm safety or therapeutic efficacy, but scientific investigations are progressing, and Mozambique is part of this work.
Mozambican scientist Silva Mujovo, a retired but still active lecturer, is part of a longstanding partnership between the Pedagogical University of Maputo and the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Lisbon, focused on studying medicinal plants with therapeutic properties. The researcher regularly undertakes expeditions to rural Mozambican areas, where he interviews communities and collects plant samples for research. In 2018, during one such trip to the district of Moamba (north of Maputo province), he collected a plant belonging to the Tabernaemontana genus.
“In Mozambique, we don’t have the necessary equipment to conduct laboratory tests. That’s why we send the samples to the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Lisbon,” Mujovo explains.
In search of scientific validation
From the plant identified in Mozambique, a compound was extracted for testing in several countries, including India, China, the USA, Mexico, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Japan. In all of them, results were favorable regarding anticancer potential, and in 2020 the research group obtained a patent granting exclusive rights over the production of medicines, including the completion of studies on possible side effects.
“If no adverse effects are identified, we will move forward with the production of medicines and their commercialization. Some partner countries are already prepared to begin clinical application of the formula,” Mujovo revealed. He added that the World Health Organization (WHO) has been informed of the development, but its official position will only be announced after full disclosure of the compound’s safety results, with no set date yet. “It will be soon,” Mujovo believes.
Legal protection and benefits for Mozambique
To secure intellectual property and safeguard the rights of the institutions involved, a multilateral agreement was signed between the University of Porto, the University of Lisbon, the Faculty of Pharmacy of the University of Lisbon, and the Pedagogical University of Maputo. This arrangement ensures that the scientific knowledge generated cannot be used or commercialized without the joint authorization of these entities, protecting the researchers and partners involved. The agreement also paves the way for potential economic gains for the stakeholders, with expectations for Mozambique’s pharmaceutical sector through local production, distribution, and sales.
A line of research in development
Most results are still “in vitro,” except for research conducted in animals. No clinical trials in humans have yet been carried out. The chemical diversity of these alkaloids — voacangine, apparicine, conophylline, taberdivarines — is significant, and all have been the subject of pharmacological, pharmacokinetic, and toxicity studies.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 2022 alone, more than 900,000 new cancer cases were recorded across the African continent, with over 580,000 deaths. Cervical cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death among women, accounting for more than 22% of all fatalities (despite the existence of a vaccine and its preventable nature). Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed.
In Mozambique, the situation is particularly alarming. Cervical cancer accounts for 34.6% of cases among women, followed by breast cancer with 12.8%. The country’s premature mortality rate from cancer is 10.4%, placing Mozambique eighth among more than 180 countries, according to United Nations data.
Which compounds are under the microscope?
Several studies have identified compounds isolated from Tabernaemontana species with activity against cancer cells, including breast, colon, prostate, leukemia, and melanoma, among others. Many alkaloids (indole and bisindole types) have been shown to induce apoptosis — programmed cell death — promoting cell cycle arrest, reducing the expression of certain proteins, and reversing multidrug resistance in tumor cells.
Here is a list of publications on the subject:
- Isolation, identification, and evaluation of anti-leukemic activity (tinyurl.com/y6rpvw27): a study on scielo.br identified nine alkaloids capable of inducing apoptosis in human leukemia cells in vitro.
- Alkaloids reverse multidrug resistance in cancer cells (tinyurl.com/6tannjfm): an article from iMed.ULisboa research demonstrating that certain alkaloids can inhibit resistance “pumps” (P-glycoprotein), making multidrug-resistant tumor cells more sensitive to treatment.
- Analysis of alkaloids and evaluation of antitumor activity (tinyurl.com/ymftbw2s): this work evaluated fractions of T. catharinensis against melanoma and lung cancer cell lines; it isolated the alkaloid that showed inhibitory activity and induced apoptosis.
Text: Celso Chambisso • Photography: Mariano Silva
