Abstract

Context: Linum usitatissimum (Linn); known as Flaxseed, is one of the most important medicinal plants traditionally used for health benefits and also as nutritional purposes.

Objective: Estimation of total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and evaluation of the antioxidant, antiinflammatory and anticancer activities have been performed on hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and methanol extracts and also on fractions of methanol extract (hexane, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol).

Materials and Methods: Phenolic and flavonoid contents were detected using spectrophotometric and colorimetric assays. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities were estimated in-vitro. Anticancer activity of extracts was tested on Hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (HepG2) and breast cancer cell line (MCF7).

Results: The methanolic extract and its ethyl acetate fraction showed higher contents of total phenols and flavonoids. Also, the methanolic extract showed a higher antioxidant activity. The butanolic and ethyl acetate fractions at concentration 500μg/ml yielded a higher percent of inhibition of protein denaturation; 87.9% and 90%, respectively. The ethyl acetate fraction and the methanolic extract showed an obvious anticancer activity against HepG2 and MCF7 (IC50=60±0.24 and 29.4±0.12μg. ml-1) and (IC50=94.7±0.21 and 227±0.48μg. ml-1), respectively. The GC-MS analysis showed that the methanolic extract had 32 compounds whereas the ethyl acetate and butanol fractions contained 40 and 36 compounds, respectively.

Conclusion: Flaxseed contains different biologically active compounds that have been found to possess various activities, which can protect the human body against several diseases.

Keywords: Flavonoid, flaxseed, hemolysis-assay, HepG2, MCF7, phenolic compounds.