Comparison of the in vitro anticancer effect of habanero pepper extract containing capsaicin with that of pure capsaicin in selected dog neoplastic cell lines

Abstract

The aim of this article was to assess the anticancer effectiveness of habanero pepper extract containing capsaicin on two dog cancerlines, DAN (fibroblasts isolated from osteosarcoma) and D-17 (epithelium cells of osteosarcoma obtained from pulmonary metastatictumors), under in vitro conditions. The experiment was carried out in a suspension of D-17 and DAN line cells with a density of 12 × 105cells/mL in a culture fluid with 10% of FBS. After 24 h of incubation (37 °C, 5% CO2), the fluid above the culture was removed, and dilutedhabanero pepper extract was added. The concentrations of capsaicin in the extract were 10, 20, 50, 100, 150, and 200 µM (in the culturefluid with 10% of FBS). The cells were incubated for 24–96 h (37 °C, 5% CO2). After the incubation period, cytotoxicity assessment of thehabanero pepper extract and cell proliferation impairment by the habanero pepper extract in a suspension of cell lines, in MTT test, as wellas the cytometric examination of viability of cancer cells exposed to the habanero pepper extract were performed. The results indicate thatthe extract shows better anticarcinogenic activity in vitro compared with pure capsaicin. Confirmation of the anticancer effectiveness ofthe extract on the cells is a starting point for wide clinical observations and a good indication for further research.