Authors: Sensuke Konno, Jason Elyaguov, Ashley Dixon, Muhammad Choudhury.
Background: To find the better option for cancer treatment and prevention, we have been working on the bioactive extracts of monk fruit, mogrosides, with potential anticancer and antioxidant activities. As oxidative stress (OXS), generation of reactive oxygen species, is believed to play a significant role in carcinogenesis, certain antioxidants may help prevent the development of cancer. Accordingly, we investigated if such mogroside-based products would have such biological activities in vitro.
Materials and Methods: Anticancer effect of four selected products, LS, LME, and LLE, and MOG, was tested on five different cancer cells, including bladder, prostate, breast, lung, and liver. Cancer cells were treated with these products for 72 h and cell viability was determined by MTT assay. The anticancer mechanism was also explored, focusing on cell cycle and apoptosis. For antioxidant study, whether any products would protect normal kidney cells from hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 )-induced OXS was examined. Cell viability and severity of OXS were determined by MTT assay and lipid peroxidation (LPO) assay, respectively.
Results: Although any concentrations (0-500 μg/ml) of LS and LME had little effects, LLE (≥2 μg/ml) and MOG (≥1.5 mg/ml) showed a significant cell viability reduction in all five cancer cells. LLE and MOG, not LS and LME, concurrently led to a G1 cell cycle arrest and ultimately apoptosis. Additionally, LLE and MOG also protected normal cells from H2 O2 -induced OXS, and LPO assay further revealed a significant reduction in the severity of OXS with them.
Conclusions: In this study, two of four monk fruit products tested, LLE and MOG, demonstrated their anticancer and antioxidant activities. They may stop/reduce cancer cell growth/viability, while they may also protect normal cells from OXS that can lead to the cancer development. Therefore, these two monk fruit products may have clinical implications in the cancer prevention/treatment.
View/Download pdf