title: Anti Tumoral Properties of Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Peel Extract on Different Human Cancer Cells.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medicinal plants, especially examples rich in polyphenolic compounds, have been suggested to be chemopreventive on account of antioxidative properties. Punica granatum (PG) (pomegranate) is a well known fruit in this context, but its cytotoxicity in cancer cells has not been extensively studied. Here, we investigated the antiproliferative properties of a peel extract of PG from Iran in different human cancer cells.
  
  
  METHODS
  A methanolic extract of pomegranate peel (PPE) was prepared. Total phenolic content(TPC) and total flavonoid conetnt (TFC) were determined by colorimetric assays. Antioxidant activity was determined by DPPH radical scavenging activity. The cytotoxicity of different doses of PPE (0, 5, 20, 100, 250, 500, 1000 μg/ml) was evaluated by MTT assays with A549 (lung non small cell cancer), MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma), SKOV3 (ovarian cancer), and PC-3 (prostate adenocarcinoma) cells.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant (P<0.01) or very significant (P<0.0001) differences were observed in comparison with negative controls at all tested doses (5-1000 μg/ml). In all studied cancer cells, PPE reduced the cell viability to values below 40%, even at the lowest doses. In all cases, IC50 was determined at doses below 5μg/ml. In this regard, MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells were the most responsive cells to antiprolifreative effects of PPE with a maximum mean growth inhibition of 81.0% vs. 69.4%, 79.3% and 77.5% in SKOV3, PC-3 and A549 cells, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low doses of PPE exert potent anti-proliferative effects in different human cancer cells and it seems that MCF-7 breast adenocarcinoma cells are the most cells and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells the least responsive in this regard. However, the mechanisms of action need to be addressed.
authors: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran E-mail : jahanbanr@tbzmed.ac.ir.
authors: Sina
authors: S
authors: Modaeinama
authors: Mozhgan
authors: M
authors: Abasi
authors: Mehran Mesgari
authors: MM
authors: Abbasi
authors: Rana
authors: R
authors: Jahanban-Esfahlan
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D029561:Lythraceae / Q000737:chemistry*; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010636:Phenols / Q000494:pharmacology; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D005419:Flavonoids; D010636:Phenols; D010936:Plant Extracts