The pectin-free fraction from Lycium barbarum fruit exhibits significant antioxidant activity and inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells.
In this study, researchers took three portions from Lycium barbarum fruit – total water, pectin-free, and polysaccharide, and analyzed their antioxidant potential using Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity and Hydroxyl Radical Averting Capacity assays. The team also examined the pectin-free and the polysaccharide fraction's antiproliferative effects on non-tumorigenic and tumorigenic breast cell lines through the MTT dye reduction assay.
The results revealed that the pectin-free fraction from Lycium barbarum fruit demonstrated growth inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner on the three cell lines. This effect was highly pronounced on the breast cancer cells. The polysaccharide fraction showed limited activity, only reducing the proliferation of one type of breast cancer cell at maximum concentration. Surprisingly, pairing the pectin-free and polysaccharide fraction did not produce a synergistic effect. A relationship was observed between the polyphenolic content in the extracts and the resulting effects, with the pectin-free extract containing the most polyphenols and demonstrating the most potent antioxidant and antineoplastic impact against breast cancer cells.
