Cytotoxic effect of Spirulina platensis extract and Ulva compressa Linn. on cancer cell lines

M Maryati,A Aulia,M Da'I,O Priyunita,U.M Rasyidah,A Saifudin,A Arrum,S Wahyuni,F.P.H Putra,C.H Muflihah,J Rahmawati,Y As'Hari,A Fadhilah

doi:10.26656/fr.2017.4(4).389

Abstract

Studies have shown that algae and seaweed have cytotoxic activity. This study was aimed to determine the cytotoxic activity of Spirulina platensis and Ulva compressa Linn. extracts against cancer cell lines. The cytotoxic activity of the extract was carried out using the MTT ((3-(4,5-dimetylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) method. Results showed that the ethanol extract and methanol extract of Spirulina platensis have no cytotoxic effect against HeLa, WiDr, MCF7 and T47D cells. Water extract of Spirulina platensis had no cytotoxic activity on T47D and Vero cells. Water extracts of Spirulina platensis increase MCF7 cell growth. Phycocyanin powder also stimulates MCF7 cell growth. Ethanol extract of Ulva compressa Linn. exhibited potentially cytotoxic activity against MCF7 and moderate cytotoxic against WiDR cells with IC50 values are 31.86 μg/ mL and 104.93 μg/mL, respectively. It can be concluded that extract of Spirulina platensis has no potential to be developed for cancer therapy. Ulva compressa Linn has the potential to be developed as an anti-cancer. Further research for study the mechanism of anticancer of Ulva compressa Linn on MCF7 was needed.

Highlights

At the highest concentration tested (500 μgmL), ethanol extract inhibited the growth of Henrietta Lacks (HeLa), WiDr, MCF7 and T47D cells by 27.32%, 7.97%, 8.04% and 32.72%, respectively (Table 1)
At the highest concentration tested (500 μg/mL), methanol extract did not show any inhibition of HeLa and WiDr cells
Spirulina platensis produced by CV Neo Algae has no potential to be developed for cancer therapy

Summary

Introduction

Cancer is still the main cause of death in the world. In Indonesia, the prevalence of cancer showed an increase from 1.4 per thousand population in 2013 to 1.79 per thousand population in 2018. The highest rate was in the Yogyakarta with 4.86 per 1000 population, followed by West Sumatra 2.47 79 per 1000 population and Gorontalo 2.44 per 1000 population. The high cost of chemotherapy, side effects and success treatment encourage efforts to find alternative medicines/ treatments from natural ingredients for cancer. One effort that can be taken is to explore the natural product, such as algae. Spirulina platensis is one type of algae that has received much attention because of the nutritional component and source of bioactive for therapy (Smiezeck et al, 2017)

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