Evaluation of the cytotoxic effect of crude aqueous and ethanolic extracts isolated from Lentinus sp. on human cancer cell lines

Abstract

Aims: The aim of this study was to evaluate some chemical properties and the cytotoxic effect of aqueous and ethanolic crude polysaccharides extracted from five Lentinus sp. on human cancer cell lines. It was hypothesized that other species of the genus Lentinus could show the pharmacological actions as presence in Lentinus edodes, especially anticancer properties. Methodology and results: Crude extracts of dried fruit bodies and mycelia from L. edodes, Lentinus sajor-caju, Lentinus swartzii, Lentinus squarrosulus and Lentinus velutinus were extracted using two solvents, hot water and 95% ethanol, and evaluated for their total carbohydrates, proteins, reducing sugar, phenol contents, and cytotoxicity. The yield of crude extracts was 33.6-205.3 mg/g dry weight of a sample. Cytotoxicity was determined with 10 mg/mL of crude aqueous and 1 mg/mL of crude ethanolic extracts by using the [3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide] (MTT) method. All extracts showed non-cytotoxicity against the normal cell lines, LLC-MK2 and L929 cells. While, the extracts of L. edodes, L. sajor-caju, L. squarrosulus and L. velutinus displayed the cytotoxicity against the human cancer cell lines. Conclusion, significance and impact study: The crude aqueous and ethanolic extract from fruit bodies of L. velutinus and the ethanolic extract from fruit bodies of L. sajor-caju and L. squarrosulus displayed the adverse effect against the human cancer cell lines. Hence, these extracts are a potential source of bioactive compounds for cancer treatment.