The effect of hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaves extract on breast cancer cells / Nurul Hafizah Iskhak

Breast cancer is the number one killer among women population and the incidence higher because the treatment of cancer not sufficient enough to maintain and prolong lifetime of a patient. Hibiscus rosa-sinensis is a herbaceous evergreen plant that are native to tropical and also sub-tropical regions. The effect of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaves extract on breast cancer cells were evaluated in breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7) and fibroblast cell lines (3T3). Four types of extracts; methanol, acetone, ethyl acetate and petroleum ether were prepared using maceration technique. Both cells lines were treated with these extracts with the concentration of 25, 50, I 00, 200 and 400 µg/ml. The cells left untreated of any extracts were used as a control. The cell viability for both cells was analyzed using MTT assay after 24 hour treatment of the extracts. The percentage of inhibition of breast cancer cells were observed with all types of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaves extracts which varies according to the extract. The inhibition on fibroblast cell lines also was observed and the inhibition percentage was slightly to be moderate and less toxic than the cancer cells. There were significant difference between the breast cancer cells and the normal cells (p:S0.05). The Hibiscus rosa-sinensis leaves acetone extract reduced cell viability of breast cancer cells without further reduce in normal cells. In conclusion, acetone extract of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis may possess anticancer effects and therefore could be an alternative treatment besides on the conventional agents used before.