Antiproliferative activity of Grewia villosa ethyl acetate extract on cervical cancer HeLa cell line: Mechanistic insights through network pharmacology and functional assays approach

Sally Wambui Kamau; Mercy Jepkorir; Gilbert Kipkoech; Inyani John Lino Lagu; Wesley Kanda; Susan Kibunja; Rakita Letoluo; Shadrack Barmasai; Alice Wanyoko; Vincent Ruttoh; James Kuria; Peter Githaiga Mwitari; Mathew Piero Ngugi; Sospeter Ngoci Njeru

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0331649

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Open Access

Peer-reviewed

Research Article

Antiproliferative activity of Grewia villosa ethyl acetate extract on cervical cancer HeLa cell line: Mechanistic insights through network pharmacology and functional assays approach

Sally Wambui Kamau ,

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

* E-mail: snjeru@kemri.go.ke, salliekamau@gmail.com

Affiliations Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Mercy Jepkorir,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Gilbert Kipkoech,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliations Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Inyani John Lino Lagu,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Pan African Union Institute for Basic Science and Technology (PAUSTI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Wesley Kanda,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Susan Kibunja,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliations Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Rakita Letoluo,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Shadrack Barmasai,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Centre for Virus Research (CVR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Alice Wanyoko,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Vincent Ruttoh,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Centre for Virus Research (CVR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
James Kuria,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Supervision, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Peter Githaiga Mwitari,

Roles Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Mathew Piero Ngugi,

Roles Project administration, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – review & editing

Affiliation Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya
⨯
Sospeter Ngoci Njeru

Roles Conceptualization, Data curation, Funding acquisition, Investigation, Methodology, Project administration, Resources, Supervision, Validation, Visualization, Writing – original draft, Writing – review & editing

* E-mail: snjeru@kemri.go.ke, salliekamau@gmail.com

Affiliations Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Nairobi, Kenya, Centre for Community Driven Research (CCDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), Kirinyaga, Kenya

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1154-0777

⨯

Antiproliferative activity of Grewia villosa ethyl acetate extract on cervical cancer HeLa cell line: Mechanistic insights through network pharmacology and functional assays approach

Sally Wambui Kamau,
Mercy Jepkorir,
Gilbert Kipkoech,
Inyani John Lino Lagu,
Wesley Kanda,
Susan Kibunja,
Rakita Letoluo,
Shadrack Barmasai,
Alice Wanyoko,
Vincent Ruttoh

Published: September 24, 2025
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0331649

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HeLa cells
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