Preliminary assessment of the antiproliferative potential of Ananas comosus (pineapple) fruit juice

Abstract

Introduction: Cancer is a complex genetic ailment and a significant public health disease. Reports have shown that about 30%–40% of all cancers can be prevented by lifestyle and dietary procedures alone. This study was aimed to evaluate the anti-proliferative effect of Ananas comosus fruit juice on rapidly proliferating cells.Methods: The study was carried-out on rapidly proliferating seeds of Sorghum bicolor. Five groups consisting of 20 seeds each were used. Groups 1-2 were the control and methotrexate groups respectively, while groups 3-5 were the test groups treated with different concentrations of A. comosus. The mean lengths (mm) of radicle emerging from the seeds were measured after 24, 48 and 72 hours.Result: The result showed that the control S. bicolor seeds radicle had a very high growth rate throughout the study. The methotrexate treated seeds showed a significant (P<0.05) retardation in growth of radicle length when compared with control, after 48 and 72 hours. The inhibition rate was 73.93% and 88.45%. All doses (40%-80% v/v) of A. comosus fruit juice showed a remarkable inhibition of seeds radicle growth, after 48 and 72 hours. The percent inhibition after 48 and 72 hours for 40% v/v was 72.39 and 84.36%, for 60% v/v was 53.22 and 72.58%, while that of 80% v/v was 87.35 and 94.78%, respectively. The percent inhibition at 80% v/v was also higher than that produced by methotrexate throughout the study.Conclusion: The findings from the study indicate that A. comosus fruit juice has an antiproliferative effect.

Keywords: Ananas comosus, Pineapple, Antiproliferative potential