Underutilized Mexican Plants: Screening of Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Properties of Mexican Cactus Fruit Juices

• Main Authors: Elda M. Melchor Martínez, Luisaldo Sandate-Flores, José Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Magdalena Rostro-Alanis, Lizeth Parra-Arroyo, Marilena Antunes-Ricardo, Sergio O. Serna-Saldívar, Hafiz M.N. Iqbal, Roberto Parra-Saldívar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2021-02-01
• Series: Plants
• Subjects: underutilized Mexican plants; cactus fruits; antioxidant activities; antiproliferative properties
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/10/2/368

Cacti fruits are known to possess antioxidant and antiproliferative activities among other health benefits. The following paper evaluated the antioxidant capacity and bioactivity of five clarified juices from different cacti fruits (<i>Stenocereus </i>spp.,<i> Opuntia </i>spp. and<i> M. geomettizans</i>) on four cancer cell lines as well as one normal cell line. Their antioxidant compositions were measured by three different protocols. Their phenolic compositions were quantified through high performance liquid chromatography and the percentages of cell proliferation of fibroblasts as well as breast, prostate, colorectal, and liver cancer cell lines were evaluated though in vitro assays. The results were further processed by principal component analysis. The clarified juice from <i>M. geomettizans</i> fruit showed the highest concentration of total phenolic compounds and induced cell death in liver and colorectal cancer cells lines as well as fibroblasts. The clarified juice extracted from yellow <i>Opuntia ficus-indica</i> fruit displayed antioxidant activity as well as a selective cytotoxic effect on a liver cancer cell line with no toxic effect on fibroblasts. In conclusion, the work supplies evidence on the antioxidant and antiproliferative activities that cacti juices possess, presenting potential as cancer cell proliferation preventing agents<b>.</b>