Thesis (Ph.D.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Pharmacy - Department of Pharmacognosy

El-Jabal Al Akhdar area in Libya possesses unique physiographic and climatic conditions that provides an excellent ecological niche and contributed to the restriction of many plant species. Medicinal plants are distributed all over this area. More than 100 species are extensively used by Bedouins in folk medicine Among the most widely used plants are Arbutus pavarii Pampan. (family Ericaceae) and Sarcopoterium spinosium L. (family Rosaceae). This study includes botanical study on the stem, leaf and fruit of both plants, biological and phytochemical studies on the aerial parts of the plants. The methanolic extract (70) of Arbutus pavarii pampan. showed potent cytotoxic activity against cervical carcinoma cell line, breast cancer cell line, liver cancer cell line and (colon carcinoma cell line. However, the methanolic extract of Sarcopoterium spinosium L. was inactive against liver cancer cell lineand T47D cervical carcinoma cell line. On the other hand showed moderate activity on colon carcinoma cell line. On other hand it showed a potent activity against breast cancer cell line.