Antitumor Activity of β-glucan Isolated from Phoenix Dactylifera L. Fruits on Cancer and Normal Cell Lines

Background & Objective: Recent research has focused on β-glucan from Phoenix dactylifera L. fruits as a potential anti-tumor agent. This study investigates its cytotoxic effects on cancer and normal cell lines, exploring its ability to inhibit tumor cell proliferation and activate immune responses, thus evaluating its potential as a selective anticancer treatment.Materials & Methods: β-glucan was extracted from Phoenix dactylifera fruits using hot water extraction (glucan-P1), ion exchange chromatography (glucan-P2), and gel filtration chromatography (glucan-P3). Concentrations ranging from 31.25 to 1000 µg/mL were prepared. MCF-7, AMJ13, and REF cell lines were cultured in RPMI-1640 medium. Cytotoxicity was assessed using the MTT assay, measuring absorbance at 540 nm. Inhibition rates were calculated, and statistical analysis was performed using ANOVA and Dunn's test.Results: The study evaluated the cytotoxic effects of three β-glucan preparations (glucan-P1, glucan-P2, and glucan-P3) on breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and AMJ13, as well as normal REF cells. Glucan-P3 demonstrated the highest growth inhibition across all-time points (24, 48, and 72 hours) for both cancer cell lines. The most significant effect was observed on MCF-7 cells after 48 hours of exposure, with glucan-P3 at the highest concentration (1000 µg/ml) achieving 87.774% growth inhibition. AMJ13 cells showed similar trends, with glucan-P3 exhibiting the strongest inhibitory effect. Importantly, all β-glucan preparations showed minimal cytotoxicity towards normal REF cells after 72 hours of exposure, suggesting a selective anti-cancer effect.Conclusion: β-glucan from Phoenix dactylifera showed significant antitumor activity against breast cancer cells with no effect on normal cells, highlighting its therapeutic potential.