Anticancer activity of chemically prepared shrimp low molecular weight chitin evaluation with the human monocyte leukaemia cell line, THP-1

► Anticancer activities of chitin, chitosan and low molecular weight chitin were evaluated. ► Molecular weight–activity relationship was determined. ► High antitumour effect of low molecular weight of chitin was established. ► Low molecular weight chitin has promising roles in natural cancer prevention and treatment. In the present study, anticancer activities of chitin, chitosan and low molecular weight chitin were evaluated using a human tumour cell line, THP-1. A molecular weight–activity relationship and an electrostatic interaction–activity relationship were determined. The cytotoxic effects of chitin and derivatives were also evaluated using a normal human foetal lung fibroblastic cell line, MRC-5 and the specific cytotoxicity of chitin and derivatives to tumour cell lines was demonstrated. The high antitumour effect of low molecular weight of chitin was established.