Anti-angiogenic activity of petroleum ether fraction of Mesembryanthemum cordifolium extract: Ex vivo study

Angiogenesis refers to the formation of new blood vessels from pre-existing ones. This process is essential for growth and tissue repair. However, it also plays a crucial role in supplying nourishment and oxygen to tumours, thereby facilitating their growth and metastasis. Among more than 1800 species in the Aizoaceae family, Mesembryanthemum cordifolium is one of the most abundant, owing to its pharmacological properties. Although the ethnobotanical use of M. cordifolium suggests therapeutic potential, the specific anti-angiogenic activity of its constituent fractions, particularly the non-polar components, has not been thoroughly investigated. The present study aimed to bridge this gap by evaluating the anti-angiogenic effect of the petroleum ether fraction of M. cordifolium. The whole plant was sequentially processed by defatting with n-hexane, followed by exhaustive extraction with 85 % methanol using a Soxhlet apparatus. The crude methanolic extract was then subjected to liquid-liquid fractionation to obtain petroleum ether, chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions. The petroleum ether fraction was phytochemically characterized using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) and High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The anti-angiogenic potential was assessed using the ex vivo rat aortic ring assay. A dose-response relationship was determined by testing the fraction at five concentrations (6.25, 12.5, 25, 50 and 100 µg/mL) against a negative control (1 % DMSO). Compared with the negative control, the results showed that the petroleum ether extract of M. cordifolium inhibited the growth of blood vessels in a concentration-dependent manner. The study demonstrates that the petroleum ether fraction of M. cordifolium possesses potent anti-angiogenic properties ex vivo.