Total aerobic plate count and onion (Allium cepa) root tip assay using banana (Musa acuminata x balbisiana) Pseudostem accumulated water with thin-layer chromatography as confirmatory test

Abstract

Cancer is a group of diseases characterized by the uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells. It can originate from any of the trillions of cells in the human body. Normally, cells grow and divide as needed, but cancer disrupts this process, causing abnormal cells to multiply uncontrollably. According to Monda et al. (2021), the pseudostem of the banana tree possess anticancer activities due to the phytochemicals present, which is why the researchers want to determine whether the accumulated water inside the banana pseudostem also holds the potential to become an alternative anti-cancer treatment. The researchers utilized total aerobic plate counting and Allium cepa root tip assay for the researchers to evaluate the potability of the banana pseudostem accumulated water and assess its inhibitory properties for cell growth, respectively. Based on the findings of the study, the total number of aerobic plates is too numerous to be counted (TNTC) and from the ANOVA analysis conducted, there was no significant difference among the cell growth inhibition. To verify this result, thin-layer chromatography was used to determine if there are any phytochemicals present within the sample possessing anticancer properties. No phytochemicals with such characteristics were identified. In conclusion, the banana pseudostem accumulated water is not a suitable alternative for anticancer medications. The researchers recommended considering other factors that might affect the quality of the sample. They also suggested subjecting the data to a more in-depth analysis, such as examining the Mitotic Index and chromosomal aberrations, to obtain more specific information.