In vitro anti-proliferative and antioxidant activities of stem extracts of pereskia bleo (Kunth) DC (Cactaceae)

Abstract

Pereskia bleo (Kunth) DC (Cactaceae) (Pereskia bleo) is a tropical plant that has been reported to possess cytotoxic acitivity against several human cancer cell lines. This study was carried out to investigate the in vitro anti-proliferative and antioxidant activities of the stem extracts of the plant. All extracts did not show significant anti-proliferative activity in both normal mouse fibroblast (NIH/3T3) and mouse mammary cancer (4T l) cell lines. There was an increased rate of proliferation when the 4T l cells were co-cultured with these extracts under certain conditions. Among the extracts, the t-butanol extract had the highest antioxidant property. All the extracts had the ability to protect normal mouse fibroblast cells against natural and oxidant-induced cell death by apoptosis.