Investigation of prairie plants with Blackfoot (Niitsitapi) traditional knowledge: study of the biological activities of eight Niitsitapi traditional medicinal plants on human cell lines

Abstract

Traditional Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) medicinal knowledge regarding the use of prairie plants has been passed down for generations, yet this knowledge remains understudied with science. This study investigates the bioactive properties of Niitsitapi medicinal plants, while honouring Niitsitapi practices. Guided by Niitsitapi knowledge and using sustainable collection methods, I investigated eight medicinal Niitsitapi plants - Sooyaiaiihtsi, Aapaottoyisi, Katoyiss, Amaoxkipistsisskiitsii, Aohtoksooki, Asiitsiksimm, Kakahksiin, and Siiksinoko. Polar and non-polar chemical extractions were prepared for each plant. The extracts were analyzed by UV/light spectrometry and tested in phenotypic assays on two human cell lines, U2OS (osteosarcoma) and HT-29 (colorectal-adenocarcinoma). Cells were either not treated, treated with control solutions, or treated with an extract and observed by microscopy after 18 hr. Two bioactivities were observed: vacuole formation and cell rounding. All extracts induced vacuole formation in U2OS cells, including some at concentrations as low as 15 µg/mL. Extracts prepared from Sooyaiaiihtsi, Katoyiss, Amaoxkipistsisskiitsii, Asiitsiksimm, Kakahksiin, and Siiksinoko induced vacuoles in HT-29 cells. Aapaottoyisi, Aohtoksooki, and Siiksinoko also induced cell rounding in both cell lines - a feature of mitotic arrest- at concentrations as low as 0.1 µg/mL. By integrating Traditional knowledge with scientific methods, this research advances natural products with potential medicinal applications, while maintaining the integrity of traditional practices by using Niitsitapi plant names and fostering a respectful collaboration between Indigenous knowledge and scientific approaches.