Ultrasound and microwave extraction from Moringa oleifera Lam.: Characterization and antiproliferative effect

Moringa oleifera has been a focus of interest because of the different properties (anticancer, antioxidant, etc.) that have been attributed to this plant. However, the most used methodology is soxhlet, which requires long periods of reaction (18 hours), generating greater energy expenditure. Recently, green extraction technologies have been developed like ultrasound and microwaves, reducing reaction time by up to 97%. The objectives of this study were to extract and identify the polyphenolic compounds present in aqueous and hydro-alcoholic extracts from Moringa oleifera dried leaves using ultrasound and microwave, as well as to evaluate their in vitro cytotoxic effect using cancer and non-cancer cells. A combination of ultrasound and microwave was utilized to extract polyphenolic compounds from Moringa dried leaves. HPLC–MS analysis was conducted to qualitatively identify the polyphenols in the samples. The cytotoxic effect was evaluated by MTT and comet assays using non-cancer (3T3, Hek293, and Vero) and cancer (HepG2) cells lines. Results: 30 polyphenolic compounds from 9 different families were identified by HPLC. Data suggested that hydro-alcoholic extracts from Moringa leaves have potent cytotoxic activities in a depend-doses response. Also, compounds from aqueous extracts did not cause cell death, while polyphenol extract from hydro-alcoholic extracts decreased populations in both cancer and non-cancer cell lines measurement by MTT. HepG2 cells showed DNA damage by comet assay. The extraction using ultrasound and microwaves at 30 minutes of reaction has an antiproliferative effect through apoptosis in cancer cells, in addition ethanolic extracts have higher cytotoxicity compared to aqueous extracts.