In vitro anti-proliferative activity of selected nutraceutical compounds in human cancer cell lines

We investigated the anti-proliferative or cytotoxic activities of five nutraceutical compounds: allyl isothiocyanate, β-carotene, caffeine, capsaicin, and lupanine that we consume respectively, for example, from mustard seeds, carrot, coffee, pepper, and lupin seeds against cancer cell lines (human colon: HCT 116 p53 wild type, HCT 116 p53-/- and lymphoblastic: CEM/CCRF, CEM/ADR5000).

Out of the five compounds tested in vitro, capsaicin and β-carotene were more cytotoxic than the other three compounds against the four cancer cell lines. The most potent nutraceutical compound was capsaicin and it exerted its highest cytotoxicity against HCT 116 p53-/- with IC₅₀ value of 19.67 ± 0.06 µM. It is worth considering capsaicin for further development of anticancer drug against both colon and leukemia cancer types.