Plant extracts as natural photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy:in vitro activity against human mammary adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells

Objective: To examine three plant extracts [Lumnitzera racemosa(Combretaceae)(L.racemosa), Albizia procera(Fabaceae)(A.procera) and Cananga odorata(Annonaceae)] for their potential as source of photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy.Methods: Human mammary adenocarcinoma(MCF-7) cells were treated with the plant extracts, which were irradiated with 5.53 m W and 0.553 mW broadband light.Cell viability was assessed using MTT assay and induction of apoptosis was determined using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-dUTP nick end labeling assay.Results: The crude ethanolic extracts, independently, were nontoxic against cancer and non-cancer cells but when irradiated with 5.53 mW broadband light, L.racemosa and A.procera extracts were cytotoxic against MCF-7 with IC_(50) of 11.63 mg/mL and10.73 mg/mL, respectively.With 0.553 mW broadband light, the IC_(50) values were higher at 17.14 mg/mL and 19.59 mg/mL, respectively.Photoactivated L.racemosa and A.procera extracts were found to be more cytotoxic against MCF-7 than the non-cancer cell line, human dermal fibroblast-neonatal.Moreover, the cytotoxicity of the extracts was mediated by apoptosis.Conclusions: Two of the plant extracts used, L.racemosa and A.procera were toxic and induced apoptosis to mammary cell adenocarcinoma, MCF-7 when photoactivated.These extracts were also more toxic to human cancer than non-cancer cell lines.