Cytotoxic Activity of the Ethyl Acetate Extract of Iraqi Carica papaya Leaves in Breast and Lung Cancer Cell Lines.

UNLABELLED: The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxic effect of the ethyl acetate fraction of Iraqi Carica papaya (C. papaya) in breast and lung cancer cell lines, MCF-7 and A549, respectively.

METHODS: The ethyl acetate extract of Iraqi C. papaya leaves was prepared and tested for its phytochemical constitution.  The  3-(4,5-dimethylthiazoline-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay was performed in breast (MCF-7) and lung (A549) cells lines that were treated with different concentrations of ethyl acetate extract (3.125,6.25,12.5, 25, 50, and 100μg/ml). After 72 hrs of treatment, cell viability was evaluated.

RESULTS: The ethyl acetate extract of C. papaya showed considerable cytotoxic activity in the MCF-7 and A549 cell lines. The activity was dose-dependent; The half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were 22.74μg/ml and 8.674 μg/ml in the MCF-7 and A549 cell lines, respectively.

CONCLUSION: The  ethyl acetate fraction of Iraqi C. papaya leaves has potential anticancer activity in lung and breast cancer.