Antioxidant activity of banana flesh and antiproliferative effect on breast and pancreatic cancer cells

Bananas, one of the most widely consumed fruits worldwide, are a rich source of valuable phytochemicals. In this study, the antioxidant and the anticancer potential of banana flesh was investigated. Of the four kinds of banana flesh extracts, the hexane extract (HE) had the highest total polyphenol content (2.54 +/- 0.60 mg GAE/g) and total flavonoid content (1.69 +/- 0.34 mg RE/g), followed by the chloroform fraction, total ethanol extract, and ethanol fraction. HE was found to exert a strong radical scavenging activity on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH center dot) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-et hylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonicacid) (ABTS center dot) free radicals. According to the IC50 values in various cancer cell lines, HE was found to possess the greatest cell growth inhibitory potential in human pancreatic cancer PANC-1 cells and human triple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. HE induced apoptosis in PANC-1 and MDA-MB-231 cells, as evidenced by the appearance of condensation of chromatin, proteolytic activation of caspase-3 and 7, and increase in the level of the cleaved form of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase protein. Gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of HE identified several anticancer compounds including palmitic acid, linoleic acid, oleic acid, campesterol, stigmasterol, and gamma-sitosterol, supporting the anticancer potential of HE. Our investigation provides a rationale for the use of banana flesh to minimize the risk of cancer-like diseases.

Automated summary

Banana flesh has been found to possess antioxidant and anticancer potential, which can reduce the risk of cancer. Hexane extract (HE) has the highest content of polyphenols and flavonoids in banana flesh, showing strong scavenging activity against free radicals. Moreover, banana flesh extracts exhibit inhibitory effects on cell growth and induce apoptosis in pancreatic cancer and triple-negative breast cancer cells. GC-MS analysis also identifies several anticancer compounds in banana flesh extracts.