Anticancer and antioxidant activity of sweet corn (Zea Mays) extracts againts human breast cancer (MCF-7) cell line

Abstract

Breast cancer is one of the mortality diseases which can affect anyone in the world. It is also a leading cause of cancer deaths among women in Malaysia. Chemotherapy drug for breast cancer treatment result in several physiological and psychological distress to patient. Thus, research concentrated an alternative and provide better anti breast cancer treatment with fewer side effects is crucial. Sweet corn (Zea mays) is believed to provide variety of medical value in cancer researches. In the present study, the sweet com extracts of fresh com kernel (FC), cooked com kernel (CC), com silk (CS) and corn husk (CH) were used to determine the cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. In cytotoxicity study, different concentrations of com extracts were tested against MCF-7 cell line in 96 well plates for 72 hours at 37 C. The IC50 value obtained were 9.37 µg/mL (FC), 47 µg/mL (CC), 75 µg/mL (CS) and 96 µg/mL (CH). Moreover, for antioxidant assay, 50% inhibition of DPPH concentration was determined. The EC50 value given by FC, CC, CS and CH were 13.20 µg/mL, 6.25 µg/mL, 45 µg/mL, and 6.72 µg/mL, respectively. All the samples showed the higher EC5o value as compared to standard pure compound, quercetin where the EC50 ° obtained was 1.67 µg/mL.