Evaluation of onconutraceutical potential and chemical characterization of vegetable smoothies

The research towards onconutraceutical products not only for cancer prevention but also as a valid support to the pharmacological therapies is of growing interest. Doxorubicin is one of the most potent and widely used chemotherapeutic agents for various tumors, as breast cancer. However, doxorubicin clinical application is limited by cumulative and dose-related cardiotoxicity, which may lead to congestive heart failure [1]. Thus, this study aims to identify possible nutraceutical matrices able to reduce the doxorubicin toxicity without modifying its antineoplastic activity on breast cancer cells.

We evaluated the onconutraceutical potential of smoothies polyphenolic extracts from orange (Citrus sinensis) and red grape (Vitis vinifera), and 3 different mixes, composed by different ratios of the two matrices, on embryonic rat heart-derived cells (H9c2) and human breast adenocarcinoma cells (MCF-7), also in presence of doxorubicin.

The tested extracts, as well as the relative mixes, don’t exhibit a significant antiproliferative activity on H9c2 and MCF-7. In doxorubicin-treated cells, the orange and the grapes extracts, and the 3 mixes, reduce the antiproliferative activity induced by doxorubicin on H9c2. Interestingly, the doxorubicin antiproliferative activity on MCF-7 cells was unaltered, in presence of the tested extracts. In particular, the more effective smoties’ mix, 1:1 ratio, was able to reduce the doxorubicin-induced reactive oxygen species release, and to increase the expression of antioxidant cytoprotective enzymes in cardiomyocytes.

Our results indicate that the smoothies polyphenolic extracts could be usefull as onconutraceutics, in order to reduce the some doxorubicin-induced side effects.

• References

• 1 Swain SM, Whaley FS, Ewer MS. Congestive heart failure in patients treated with doxorubicin: a retrospective analysis of three trials. Cancer 2003 Jun 1; 97 (11) 2869-79