Abstract
This study tested extracts from New Zealand seaweed Undaria pinnatifida containing fucoxanthin, in parallel with pure fucoxanthin, in nine human cancer cell lines, for anticancer activity. Growth inhibition effects of extracts from Undaria pinnatifida were found in all types of cancer cell lines in dose- and time- dependent manners. Cytotoxicity of fucoxanthin in three human non-cancer cell lines was also tested. Compared with pure fucoxanthin, our extracts containing low level of fucoxanthin were found to be more effective in inhibiting the growth of lung carcinoma, colon adenocarcinoma and neuroblastoma. Our results suggest that fucoxanthin is a functional biomaterial that may be used as a chemopreventive phytochemical or in combination chemotherapy. Furthermore, we show for the first time that some unknown compounds with potential selective anti-cancer effects may exist in extracts of New Zealand Undaria pinnatifida, and New Zealand Undaria pinnatifida could be used as a source for either functional biomaterial extraction or production of functional food.
Highlights
The ocean represents an abundant resource of novel compounds with great potential for pharmaceutical, nutritional supplements, cosmetics, agrichemicals and enzymes [1]
Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) was accidently introduced into New Zealand (NZ) where it was first discovered in the Wellington Harbor in 1987 [2]
We investigated the cancer cell growth inhibition of extracts, mainly containing fucoxanthin, from U. pinnatifida grown in Marlborough Sounds, South
Summary
The ocean represents an abundant resource of novel compounds with great potential for pharmaceutical, nutritional supplements, cosmetics, agrichemicals and enzymes [1]. Undaria pinnatifida (U. pinnatifida) was accidently introduced into New Zealand (NZ) where it was first discovered in the Wellington Harbor in 1987 [2] It is listed as an “unwanted organism” by Biosecurity NZ. The structure of fucoxanthin (Figure 1) contains an unusual allelic bond and some oxygenic functional groups such as epoxy, hydroxyl, carbonyl and carbonyl moieties. It is a type of carotenoid and possesses anti-oxidative and cancer cell growth inhibition effects. We investigated the cancer cell growth inhibition of extracts, mainly containing fucoxanthin, from U. pinnatifida grown in Marlborough Sounds, South
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