Química medicinal

Anti-Inflammatory Activity and Cytotoxicity of the Starfish Extracts on Cancer Cells in Culture

Abstract

Jumeri Mangun Wikarta and Sang Moo Kim

Background: The starfishes were shown to containe the bioactive compounds which exhibit various biological activities including cytotoxicity, antiinflammatory, hemolytic, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects.

Objective: To determine the anti-inflammatory activity and cytotoxicity of the extracts of four different starfishes.

Materials and methods: The homogenized fresh body component of starfishes were extracted and concentrated. The EtOH extract of A. pectinifera with high extraction yield and total phenol was partitioned using different extraction solvents. The CHCl3 fraction was further fractionated using thin-layer chromatography, silica-gel chromatography, gel filtration, and recycling preparative HPLC, in that order.

Results: Fraction SAP4.2.5 exhibited strong anti-inflammatory activity without cytotoxic effect up to a concentration of 25 μg/mL, and high cytotoxicity, with IC50 values of 19.4, 34.8, and 32.7 μg/mL against AGS, DLD-1, and HeLa cells, respectively. These biological activities could be due to the presence of lathosterol, 13-tetradecen-1-ol acetate, and stigmast-7-en-3-ol (3ß,5α,24S)-like compounds.

Conclusion: Starfish has a great potential as a resource for natural health products because of its strong antiinflammatory and anticancer activities.