Purpose: To determine and compare the antioxidant, antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of leaf
infusions of
Ilex laurina
and
Ilex paraguariensis
in colon cancer cells.
Methods: Antioxidant activity was determined by ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) and
FRAP (Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power). Cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects were analyzed using
MTT ((3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide) and sulfhorodamine-B respectively.
Cell death and apoptosis of human colon adenocarcinoma cells SW480 and their metastatic-derived
SW620 cells, were analyzed by flow cytometry using propidium iodide and Annexin-V.
Results: Although their flavonoid levels were similar,
I. laurina infusion contained 2.2 and 4.4 times
higher amounts of total phenolic and caffeoyl derivatives, respectively, than
I. paraguariensis. FRAP
and ORAC values for
I. laurina infusion were 1.6 and 2.0 more active than
I. paraguariensis. Both plant
infusions inhibited viability and cell growth of SW480 and SW620 cells. These results may be
associated to cell cycle-arrest and apoptosis because of the comparable increase of hypodiploid and
annexin-V positive colon cancer cells.
Conclusion: These data highlight the antioxidant and promising anticancer activities of
I. laurina and
Ilex paraguariensis.
