Cytotoxic Effects of Strawberry, Korean Raspberry, and Mulberry Extracts on Human Ovarian Cancer A2780 Cells

Reactive oxygen species are tumorigenic by their ability to increase cell proliferation, survival, and cellular migration. The purpose of the present study was to compare the antioxidant activity and cytotoxic effects of 3 berry extracts (strawberry, Korean raspberry, and mulberry) in A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells. Except for raspberry, the ethyl acetate or methylene chloride fractions of berries containing phenolic compounds exerted dose dependent free radical scavenging activities. In the raspberry fractions, the hexane fraction also exhibited potent antioxidant activity. The cytotoxic effects of berries extracts in A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells were measured using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay. Surprisingly, co-treatment with n-butanol (BuOH) fractions of berries showed stronger cytotoxic effects compared to the other fractions. These findings suggest that potent anticancer molecules are found in the BuOH fractions of berries that have stronger cytotoxic activity than antioxidants.