Chemical composition and in vitro anticancer activity of okra (albelmoschus esculentus) seed extract to develop into polymeric micelles

Abstract

The objective of this research was to study the phytochemical composition of the Okra seed extract and its in vitro anticancer activity for future pharmaceutical use. We detected active flavonoids compounds such as isoquercitrin, at an amount of 2.89 ± 1.64 % w/w. Furthermore, antioxidation testing by DPPH assay and ABTS assay, showed values of IC50 = 55.80 ug/ml and 49.04 ug/ml, respectively. The Okra seed extract’s anti-cancer activity was evaluated on cancer cell lines, indicating anticancer properties for certain forms of cancer such as cervical cancer (HeLa), liver cancer (HepG2), and most significantly for breast cancer (MCF-7). The mechanisms studied were anti-migration, anti-invasion, VEGF release inhibition, and cell apoptosis inducers. A polymeric micelles carrier system used poloxamer 407 as the micelle inducer delivering the Okra seed extract was further studies. We found that the optimal ratio between the Okra seed extract and poloxamer 407 to prepare polymeric micelles is the 1:10 ratio at which the entrapment efficiency was 93.43 ± 2.45%, and particle size of 190.23 ± 46.96 nanometers. Increasing poloxamer 407 results in larger particle sizes with a decreasing drug entrapment efficiency.