In vitro: |
Food Funct. 2013 Feb;4(2):258-65. | Limonoids and their anti-proliferative and anti-aromatase properties in human breast cancer cells.[Pubmed: 23117440 ] | METHODS AND RESULTS: The compounds were identified by TLC, HPLC, and LC-MS techniques. A panel of 9 purified limonoids, including limonin, nomilin, obacunone, limonexic acid (LNA), Isolimonexic acid (ILNA), nomilinic acid glucoside (NAG), deacetyl nomilinic acid glucoside (DNAG), limonin glucoside (LG) and obacunone glucoside (OG) as well as 4 modified compounds such as limonin methoxime (LM), limonin oxime (LO), defuran limonin (DL), and defuran nomilin (DN), were screened for their cytotoxicity on estrogen receptor (ER)-positive (MCF-7) or ER-negative (MDA-MB-231) human breast cancer cells. We further tested the mechanism of the anti-proliferative activity of limonoids using an in vitro aromatase enzyme assay and western blot with anti-caspase-7. Among the tested limonoids, 11 limonoids exhibited cytotoxicity on MCF-7 whereas 8 limonoids showed cytotoxicity against the MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Although most of the limonoids showed anti-aromatase activity, the inhibition of proliferation was not related to the anti-aromatase activity. On the other hand, the anti-proliferative activity was significantly correlated with caspase-7 activation by limonoids.
CONCLUSIONS:
Our findings indicated that the citrus limonoids may have potential for the prevention of estrogen-responsive breast cancer (MCF-7) via caspase-7 dependent pathways. | J Agric Food Chem. 2009 Nov 25;57(22):10933-42. | Bioactive compounds from Mexican lime ( Citrus aurantifolia ) juice induce apoptosis in human pancreatic cells.[Pubmed: 19919125] | Lime (Citrus aurantifolia Swingle) is one of the major citrus fruits and widely consumed, but there is limited evidence about its health-promoting properties. METHODS AND RESULTS: Hence, an investigation was conducted to understand the chemopreventive effects of lime juice on pancreatic cancer cells and the possible mechanism for induction of apoptosis using Panc-28 cells. Freeze-dried lime juice was extracted with different solvents, such as chloroform, acetone, MeOH, and MeOH/water (8:2). The chloroform extract showed the highest (85.4 and 90%) radical-scavenging activity by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) methods at 624 microg/mL, whereas the MeOH/water extract showed the lowest (<20%) activity. The active components were identified by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a C-18 column as rutin, neohesperidin, hesperidin, and hesperitin. Furthermore, the limonoids identified are limonexic acid, Isolimonexic acid, and limonin. All of the extracts of lime juice inhibited Panc-28 cancer cell growth. The MeOH extract exhibited the maximum activity, with an IC50 value of 81.20 microg/mL after 72 h. The inhibition of Panc-28 cells was in the range of 73-89%, at 100 microg/mL at 96 h. The involvement of apoptosis in induction of cytotoxicity was confirmed by expression of Bax, Bcl-2, casapase-3, and p53.
CONCLUSIONS:
The results of the present study clearly indicate that antioxidant activity is proportionate to the content of flavonoids and proliferation inhibition ability is proportionate to the content of both flavonoids and limonoids. |
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