Ultrasound and high hydrostatic pressure extractions on antioxidant capacity, antiproliferative and apoptosis effects in gastric cancer cells by lemon extract treatment

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the antioxidant and antiproliferative effects of lemon extracts (LE) against human gastric cancer cells (SNU-1) and normal human gastric epithelial cells (GES-1), and their mechanism of inducing cellular death. LE was obtained by three extraction methods: conventional (CE), ultrasound (UAE) and high hydrostatic pressure (HHPE). Experimental results show that the extraction method used to obtain the LE had a significant influence on antioxidant capacity, cellular proliferation, and induction of apoptosis in SNU-1 cells. LE was showed to be cytotoxic with an IC₅₀ of 1747.0 µg mL⁻¹ and 1704.3 µg mL⁻¹, as obtained by UAE and HHPE, respectively. In addition, this extract induces apoptosis as evidenced by confocal microscopy. Our findings indicate that LE would be an attractive source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant and antiproliferative capacity and can improve the functional value of food.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Citrus fruit
• SNU-1
• GES-1
• flavonoid
• cell proliferation
• apoptosis

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Dr. Dawit Kidane-Mulat for kindly providing the human cells used in this study, MSc. Teresa Roco for their assistance and CONICYT-PCHA/National Doctorate/2016-21161653.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.