Ellagic Acid from Hull Blackberries: Extraction, Purification, and Potential Anticancer Activity

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Biochemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Ellagic acid (EA), abundant in berries, possesses beneficial health properties, notably anticancer effects.
• Blackberry fruit nutrients require improved development and utilization strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine optimal extraction and purification methods for ellagic acid from blackberries.
• To evaluate the anticancer activity of ellagic acid against HeLa cells and elucidate its molecular mechanism.

Main Methods:

• Blackberry fruits were analyzed for EA content across five growth stages.
• Extraction and purification involved response surface methodology, macroporous resin adsorption, and recrystallization.
• Anticancer activity was assessed using MTT assays and mRNA analysis of key genes.

Main Results:

• The highest EA concentration was found in green Hull blackberry fruits (5.67 mg/g FW).
• Optimized extraction and purification yielded EA powder with 90% purity.
• EA demonstrated significant anticancer effects on HeLa cells (IC50 = 35 μg/mL), inducing apoptosis and impacting the PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Conclusions:

• Ellagic acid from blackberries exhibits potent anticancer properties.
• The study provides a foundation for utilizing blackberries as a source of functional food ingredients.
• The PI3K/PTEN/AKT/mTOR pathway is implicated in EA's inhibition of cancer cell growth.