SCREENING OF ANTICANCER ACTIVITIES OF CRUDE EXTRACTS OF UNICELLULAR GREEN ALGAE (Chlorella vulgaris) AND FILAMENTOUS BLUE GREEN ALGAE (Spirulia plantis) ON SELECTED CANCER CELL LINES
Keywords:
Anticancer agent, Cytotoxic, Unicellular, Filamentous, Cell ProliferationAbstract
Biomass of Chlorella vulgaris and Spirulina platensis were extracted using either
ethanol or chloroform and screened for their anticancer activities against selected
cancer cell lines. The microalgae crude extracts were tested for their effectiveness as
anticancer agent on breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and liver cancer cell lines HepG2.
The results were compared with the cytotoxicity effects of microalgae on normal hepatic
fetal human epithelial (WRL-68) cell lines. The tests were carried out by means of MTT
assay (a colorimetric assay) to determine cell viability by assessing the values of IC50.
The result shown that the MCF7 is the cancer cell lines that reach 50% inhibition of cell
by both microalgae compared to HepG2. The extraction by chloroform of Chlorella
vulgaris indicates that there was 50% inhibition (IC50) of cells on MCF7 much higher
compare to the ethanol extraction of both spirulina and chlorella with approximately at
89 µg/ml. the ethanol extraction of Spirulina platensis indicates that there was 50%
inhibition (IC50) at 85 µg /ml. Chloroform extract of the unicellular microalgae and
ethanol extract of filamentous microalgae exhibited a promising result as anticancer
agent as seen by the IC50 value obtained. The extract did not demonstrate IC50 value on
normal cells and can increase cell proliferation. This preliminary study suggests that
new anticancer natural products from unicellular green algae and filamentous
microalgae are possible.
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