Garcinia morella fruit, a promising source of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agents induces breast cancer cell death via triggering apoptotic pathway

A rapid rise in cancer cases worldwide, especially breast cancer in females, instigates the need for more effective and less side effect causing drugs from natural origin. Thereby, in the present study, Garcinia morella fruit was investigated for antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-breast cancer activity. Preliminary antioxidant and anticancer evaluation of different fractions and crude methanol extract of G. morella fruit suggested chloroform fraction as the bioactive fraction. Time course analysis (by 24 h, 48 h and 72 h) of the bioactive fraction (1.56-25) mu g/ml treatment on breast cancer cell lines (MCF7, MDAMB231 and SKBR3) showed dose and time dependent antiproliferative responses. Further, mechanistic studies involving morphological observation and western blotting analysis, revealed its apoptosis inducing effect on breast cancer. P53 dependent up-regulation of Bax and down-regulation of Bcl X-L is suggested as the possible pathway of apoptosis followed by MCF7 cells on exposure to the bioactive fraction. The anti-inflammatory assays revealed that it significantly lowered the release of nitrite and TNF-alpha level of LPS induced RAW 264.7 cells (p < 0.05). Moreover, pre treatment of Carrageenan induced paw edema animals with 20 mg/kg of the bioactive fraction significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited paw inflammation and controlled the cytokine and nitrite levels of the edema induced rat. Its main bioactive component was identified to be Garcinol by UHPLC and ESI-MS/MS. Thereby, this study clearly reflects that G. morella fruit is a valuable antioxidant and anti-inflammatory gift of nature with the potential to be used against breast cancer. This is also the first report of isolation of bioactive compound Garcinol from G. morella fruit.