−Crude extract of T. tetraptera showed cytotoxicity towards all the cancer cell lines (including drug-sensitive and -resistant phenotypes).−Crude extract of T. tetraptera showed cytotoxic effects with IC50 values ranging from 10.27 μg/mL, in CCRF-CEM leukemia cells, to 23.61 μg/mL, in colon cancer HCT116 (p53−/−) cells.−Apoptosis induced by crude extract of T. tetraptera, in CCRF-CEM cells, was MMP alteration-mediated and increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Here, TP53 is linked to malignant colon neoplasm.