Antiproliferative activity of Annona squamosa L. fractions on human tumor cell lines

Annona squamosa Linn. (Annonaceae) is a rich source of bioactive compounds, such as alkaloids, tannin, phenolic compounds, aromatic plyketides, steroids, diterpenes and mineral components. Several parts of this plant are traditionally used in the treatment of diabetes and cancer. The current assay evaluates antiproliferative activity of fractions of sugar-apple (A. squamosa) peel and seeds in eight human tumor cell lines (K-562, HT-29, PC-3, NCI-H460, MCF-7, NCI-ADR/RES, UACC-62, U251 e 786-0) and in a non-tumor cell line (HaCat), with doxorubicin as positive control. Cell differentiation was determined by spectrophometric quantification. Seed and peel fractions showed cytostatic and cytocidal effects on cell lines at different concentrations, except for K562. All fractions were selective for the NCI-H460 strain. However, other fractions had an antiproliferative effect on the other strains, especially on the methanol fraction of seeds, which showed the highest cytocidal percentage (up to 100%). Results indicate the potential of these fractions as sources of new chemotherapeutic and/or chemo-preventive agents to be isolated and identified.