Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxicity Effect of Cocoa Beans Subjected to Different Processing Conditions in Human Lung Carcinoma Cells

• Published in: Oxidative medicine and cellular longevity Vol. 2016; no. 2016; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Koblitz, Maria Gabriela Bello, Goes-Neto, Aristoteles, Oliveira, Hilana Salete Silva, de Abreu, Joel Pimentel, Bauer, Deborah, Teodoro, Anderson Junger
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cairo, Egypt Hindawi Publishing Corporation 01-01-2016; John Wiley & Sons, Inc; Hindawi Limited
• Subjects: Antioxidants; Antioxidants - chemistry; Antioxidants - pharmacology; Apoptosis; Apoptosis - drug effects; Beans; Cacao - chemistry; Cancer; Cancer therapies; Cell cycle; Cell Line, Tumor; Cocoa; Cytotoxicity; Cytotoxins - chemistry; Cytotoxins - pharmacology; Female; Fermentation; Fruits; Functional foods & nutraceuticals; Health aspects; Humans; Lung cancer; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; Lung Neoplasms - metabolism; Lung Neoplasms - pathology; Male; Mortality; Nutrition; Oncology, Experimental; Plant Extracts - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Polyphenols; Seeds - chemistry; Studies; Brazil
• ISSN: 1942-0900; 1942-0994
• DOI: 10.1155/2016/7428515

Lung cancer is a common malignancy in men and the second leading cause of cancer-related mortality in men in the western world. Phenolic cocoa ingredients have a strong antioxidative activity and the potential to have a protective effect against cancer. In the present study, we have evaluated the influence of cocoa beans subjected to different processing conditions on cell viability and apoptosis of human lung cancer cells (A549). We measured the viability of lung cells treated with cocoa beans, unroasted slates (US), roasted slates (RS), unroasted well fermented (UWF) cocoa, and roasted well fermented (RWF) cocoa for 24 h. Using an MTT assay, we observed a decrease in the viability of A549 cells after treatment with cocoa bean extracts. Flow cytometer analysis revealed that cocoa beans increased the percentage of cells in sub-G1 phase and promoted up to twofold increase of apoptotic cells when compared to the control group. Taken together, the present study suggests that cocoa beans may have a protective effect against lung cancer.