Bombax ceiba L. (Malvaceae) is a folk medicinal plant widely utilized for the cure of various conditions including inflammation, arthritis, diabetes, dysmenorrhea, and sexual disorders. Despite its extensive ethnomedicinal applications, its antineoplastic potential remains underexplored. The objective of this study was to investigate the anticancer potential of the solvent fractions derived from the B. ceiba bark extract against Ehrlich ascites carcinoma (EAC) in mice Phytochemical screening demonstrated the existence of bioactive constituents such as phenols, tannins, glycosides, flavonoids, terpenoids, and saponins across different fractions. Acute toxicity assessment indicated that all fractions were well-tolerated up to a dose of 1000 mg/kg body weight, with no noted symptoms of toxicity or mortality. The trypan blue exclusion assay demonstrated that chloroform (CHF) and ethyl acetate (EAF) fractions exhibited potent antiproliferative activity, resulting in 83.46% and 82.28% inhibition of EAC cells growth, respectively, at a dose of 10 mg/kg. Furthermore, these fractions significantly (p < 0.01) reduced tumor weight and conferred protective effects on hematological parameters in EAC-carrying mice. Collectively, the results suggest that the chloroform and ethyl acetate fractions of B. ceiba bark possess promising anticancer properties, supporting its potential as a source of natural chemotherapeutic agents.
