Inhibitory Effect of Prunus mume Extracts on the Growth of Cell Lines SNU-16 and SNU-C2A

This study was aimed at investigating the inhibitory effect of Prunus mume extracts on the growth of SNU-16 (gastric cancer cell) and SNU-C2A(colon cancer cell). Prunus mume containing abundant organic acids (succinic, citric, malic, and tartaric acids), sitosterol and minerals has been used extensively both as a folk remedy and herbal medicine. After successive extractions of Prunus mume were prepared using hexane, chloroform, ethylacetate, methanol and hot water, each extract was condensed. Inhibitory effects by these extracts on the growth of each cancer cell line were examined using MTT assay, cytotoxicity test and microscopic examination. The ethylacetate extract of Prunus mume exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect on the growth of SNU-16 and SNU-C2A with the strongest inhibition seen at $250\;{\mu}g/mL$ according to the MTT assay. The treatment of ethylacetate extract ($1000\;{\mu}g/mL$ for 72 hrs) resulted in the destruction of the SNU-16 and SNU-C2A cell lines at 100 and 72%, respectively. When morphological changes in SNU-16 and SNU-C2A treated with ethylacetate extract were monitored under inverted microscope, SNU-16 was destroyed completely and SNU-C2A showed no growth. Fibroblasts (normal cell line ) showed no significant changes.