Potential chemopreventive properties of anthocyanin-rich aqueous extracts from in vitro produced tissue of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.)

Anthocyanin-rich aqueous extracts from cell suspension cultures of a high anthocyanin-producing sweetpotato PL (purple line) cell line grown under two different media conditions, MM (multiplication medium) and APM (high anthocyanin-producing medium) and from the cell line's donor tissue, field-grown storage root (SR) of sweetpotato, cv. Ayamurasaki, were evaluated for antioxidative (DPPH test), antimutagenic (Salmonella/reversion assay; mutagen, Trp-P-1), and antiproliferative (human promyelocytic leukaemia cells HL-60) activities. Both cell line extracts MM and APM exhibited higher radical scavenging activities (RSA), 3.8- and 1.4-fold, respectively, than the SR extract. The antimutagenic activity of all extracts was found to be dose-dependent. At a dose of 1 mg/plate, the highest activity exhibited APM (73% inhibition of Trp-P-1-induced reverse mutation of Salmonella typhimurium TA98), followed by MM (54% inhibition) and SR (36% inhibition). The MM extract was the strongest inhibitor of the proliferation of human promyelocytic leukemia cells. At a concentration of 1.6 mg/mL medium during 24 h, it suppressed the growth of 47% of HL-60 cells. A significantly lower growth suppression effect displayed APM and SR extracts (21 and 25%, respectively). Total anthocyanin levels and anthocyanin composition in evaluated samples seem to be related to their activities. The MM extract, which exhibited the highest RSA and antiproliferation activities, contained the highest level of anthocyanins. Among them, nonacylated cyanidin 3-sophoroside-5-glucoside dominated. It is speculated that the presence of this anthocyanin contributed toward enhanced activities of MM extract.