Evaluation and Comparison of Punica Granatum Peel and Flower Extract Toxicity on MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cell Line and Comparison of Antioxidant Activity of Punica Granatum Peel and Flower Extract

The presence of phenolic and flavonoid compounds in the extract of different parts of pomegranate fruit (Punica granatum) makes this tropical fruit potentially an antitumor and antioxidant. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the toxicity effect of pomegranate peel and flower extract on MCF-7 breast cancer and to compare the antioxidant activity of pomegranate peel and flower extract.

The hydroalcoholic extract of pomegranate flowers and peel was extracted separately by the Soxhlet method. Then, MCF-7 cancer cells were cultured and proliferated, and the cytotoxicity of both extracts at different concentrations was measured by MTT assay for 48 hours. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of pomegranate flower and peel extract was compared by using a free radical scavenging assay (DPPH).

The results indicated that hydroalcoholic extracts of pomegranate flowers and peel significantly reduced the growth of MCF-7 cancer cells compared to the control group (P<0.05). IC50s of pomegranate flower and pomegranate peel extract were determined 417.6 μg/ml and 186.6 μg/ml, respectively. Besides, the antioxidant activity of pomegranate peel extract was higher than that of flowers. The highest antioxidant activity of pomegranate flower extract and pomegranate peel was determined at concentrations of 250 μg/ml and 62.5 μg/ml, respectively .

Based on our findings, extracts of pomegranate flowers and peel indicated antioxidant and anti-tumor properties.