title: Cytotoxic activity of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and oil against human cancer cell lines.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the cytotoxic properties of both the kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and kenaf seed oil on human cervical cancer, human breast cancer, human colon cancer and human lung cancer cell lines.
  
  
  METHODS
  The in vitro cytotoxic activity of the kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seed extract and kenaf seed oil on human cancer cell lines was evaluated by using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and sulforhodamine B assays. Cell morphological changes were observed by using an inverted light microscope.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The kenaf seed extract (KSE) exhibited a lower IC50 than kenaf seed oil (KSO) in all of the cancer cell lines. Morphological alterations in the cell lines after KSE and KSO treatment were observed. KSE and KSO possessed effective cytotoxic activities against all the cell lines been selected.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  KSE and KSO could be potential sources of natural anti-cancer agents. Further investigations on using kenaf seeds for anti-proliferative properties are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Yu Hua
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Wong
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Wai Yan
authors.initials: WY
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, Faculty of Food Science and Technology,Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Chin Ping
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Malaysian Agricultural Research & Development Institute (MARDI) PO Box 12301, 50774 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kamariah
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Long
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science and Nutrition, Faculty of Applied Sciences, UCSI University, 56000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
authors.forename: Kar Lin
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Nyam
keywords: 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide; HeLa; Human breast cancer; Human cervical cancer; Human colon cancer; Human lung cancer; Sulforhodamine B assay