The Anticancer Effects of Sargassum Boveanum Hydroalcoholic Extract in Human Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Sargassum boveanum is a plant species of brown algae that is widely found in the Persian Gulf. The present study investigated the antioxidant and cytotoxic activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of Sargassum boveanum in colorectal cancer cell lines. Materials and Methods: Sargassum boveanum was collected from the Persian Gulf in Bushehr province. The hydroalcoholic extract of this plant was extracted by maceration in ethanol 70%. The concentrations of polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity of the hydroalcoholic extract (ethanol 70%) were assessed by folin ciocalteu, aluminum chloride and CUPRAC methods, respectively. Afterwards, the cytotoxicity effect of this extract was investigated in two colorectal cancer cell lines (SW742 and HCT116) and normal cells (fibroblasts) at 24, 48 and 72 hours post-treatment by the MTT method. Results: The studied hydroalcoholic extract contains significant amounts of polyphenol (36.79 ± 0.66 mg GAE/g dwt), flavonoid (194.66±2.5 QE/g dwt) and antioxidant capacity (526.99 ± 9.16 mg AA/g dwt). The hydroalcoholic extract gradually inhibited cell growth in the SW742, HCT116 and fibroblast cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Conclusion: Our results showed that sargassum boveanum hydroalcoholic extract may have considerable potential for development as a novel, natural product-based, anticancer agent.