Antiangiogenic, Antioxidant and Antiproliferative effects of Common Mediterranean Fruit Extracts with Phytochemical Screening

Abstract

Several epidemiological studies have suggested that the Mediterranean dietary pattern, which includes consumption of fruits, has been linked to lower risk of various forms of cancer. This study assessed the antiangiogenic, antioxidant, and antiproliferative properties of extracts from common Mediterranean fruits including, dates (Phoenix dactylifera), figs (Ficus carica), grapes (Vitis vinifera), olives (Olea europaea), and pomegranates (Punica granatum). Different parts of the fruits were extracted with two organic solvents as well as water. Twenty-one extracts were screened for antiangiogenic activity using the rat aorta ring assay. They were tested for cytotoxic activity using four cancer cell lines and one normal cell line, and their antioxidant properties were measured using two methods (2,2'-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assays). GC-MS analysis indicated the presence of different phytochemical classes in fruits, phenolic acids, sterols, flavonoids, fatty acids, triglycerides, and alkaloids are the main constituents in these fruits. Of the 21 extracts tested, 14 exhibited substantial antiangiogenic effect. The ethanol extracts of pomegranate and olive had the highest activity (100% inhibition at 50 µg/mL), as did the hexane extract of the grape. Likewise, the hexane extract of pomegranate peel and grape seed had the highest cytotoxic effects and was found to induce apoptosis in the colorectal cancer cell line HCT-116. Furthermore, the extracts prepared from ethanol had the highest antioxidant activity among the tested fruits, pomegranate peel displayed potent antioxidant activity, with the lowest IC 50 value calculated (6.06 µg/mL). The study demonstrated considerable anticancer and antioxidant properties in Mediterranean fruit extracts.