Cytotoxic activity of ten algae from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea on human breast cancer cell lines; MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T-47D

ABSTRACT

Background Seaweeds have proven to be a promising natural source of bioactive metabolites for drug development. Objective This study aimed to monitor the ethanol extract of ten algae from the Persian Gulf and Oman Sea, for their in vitro cytotoxic activity on three human breast cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods Three human breast cancer cell lines including MDA-MB-231(ER−), MCF-7(ER+), and T-47D (ER+) were treated by different concentrations of total ethanol (90%) algae extracts and the cytotoxic effects were evaluated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Doxorubicin (Ebewe, Austria) was used as a positive control. After 72 h of incubation, the cytotoxic effect of the algae was calculated and presented as 50%-inhibitory concentration (IC50). Results The results indicated Gracilaria foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. to be the most active algae in terms of cytotoxic effects on the investigated cancer cell lines. The IC50 values against MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, and T-47D cells were, respectively, 74.89 ± 21.71, 207.81 ± 12.07, and 203.25 ± 30.98 mg/ml for G. foliifera and 66.48 ± 4.96, 150.86 ± 51.56 and >400 mg/ml for Cladophoropsis sp. The rest of the algal extracts were observed not to have significant cytotoxic effects in the concentration range from 6.25 mg/ml to 400 mg/ml. Conclusion Our data conclusively suggest that G. foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. may be good candidates for further fractionation to obtain novel anticancer substances. Moreover, stronger cytotoxic effects on estrogen negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-231(ER−)) in comparison to estrogen positive cells (MCF-7 and T-47D) suggest that the extract of G. foliifera and Cladophoropsis sp. may have an estrogen receptor/progesterone receptor-independent mechanism for their cellular growth inhibition.

KEYWORDS

• Algae
• Persian Gulf
• Oman Sea
• cytotoxicity
• 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay

Showing references and in-text citations exactly as published.

• DOI10.4103/0974-8490.150539Copy

RELATED ARTICLES

Matched on section and article type within this issue of Pharmacogn. Res..

• Article · VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2Chemical constituents and bioactivities of Glinus oppositifoliusConsolacion Y. Ragasa, Esperanza C. Cabrera, Oscar B. Torres, Adiel Inah Buluran, Dinah L. Espineli, Dennis D. Raga, Chien-Chang Shen · pp. 138–147ORIGINAL ARTICLESame type: Article
• Article · VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2Comparing and authenticating on anatomical aspects of Abrus cantoniensis and Abrus mollis by microscopyZhifeng Zhang, Luyang Lu, Yuan Liu, Linsen Qing · pp. 148–155ORIGINAL ARTICLESame type: Article
• Article · VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2Evaluation of Antidiabetic and Antihyperlipidemic Effects of Hydroalcoholic Extract of Leaves of Ocimum tenuiflorum (Lamiaceae) and Prediction of Biological Activity of its PhytoconstituentsSubramani Parasuraman, Subramani Balamurugan, Parayil Varghese Christapher, Rajendran Ramesh Petchi, Wong Yeng Yeng, Jeyabalan Sujithra, Chockalingam Vijaya · pp. 156–165ORIGINAL ARTICLESame type: Article
• Article · VOLUME 7, ISSUE 2Psidium guajava Linn. leaf extract affects hepatic glucose transporter-2 to attenuate early onset of insulin resistance consequent to high fructose intake: An experimental studyR. Mathur, Shagun Dutta, T. Velpandian, S.R. Mathur · pp. 166–175ORIGINAL ARTICLESame type: Article