Anticancer effect of polyunsaturated fatty acid extracts from sardine fishes on human cancer cell lines

Abstract

Cytotoxic activity of polyunsaturated fatty acid extracts from two species of fishes, Sardinella longiceps and Sardinella fimbriata, were examined and compared. Cell lines of MCF-7 (breast cancer) and DU-145 (prostate cancer) were used to analyze the cytotoxicity of the PUFA extracts. Both cell lines were subjected to MTT Assay with extracts at working concentrations of 100, 200, 400, 800, 1000 μg/ml. Both extracts showed significant cytotoxic effects against both cell lines and a peak cytotoxicity of 85-90% was apparent. IC-50 values were calculated from the graphs and it was found that S. longiceps extracts had a slightly lower IC-50 value indicating that it is more potent even at a lower concentration as compared to extracts from S. fimbriata.