Abstract

In the present study, leaves and rhizomes extract from two Malaysian young ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) varieties namely: Halia Bentong and Halia Bara grown under ambient (400 μmol/mol) and elevated (800 μmol/mol) CO₂ concentrations were studied for their antioxidant and in vitro anticancer activities against two human cancer cell lines (MCF–7 and MDA–MB–231). Antioxidant activities in both varieties determined using thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assays increased significantly with increasing CO₂ concentration from 400 to 800 μmol/mol. High antioxidant activity was observed in the rhizomes of Halia Bara grown under elevated CO₂ concentration. The results showed that CO₂ enriched Halia Bara exhibited the highest anticancer activity on MCF–7 cancer cells with IC₅₀ values of 25.3 and 27.31 µg/ml respectively for rhizomes and leaves extract. IC₅₀ values for MDA–MB–231 exhibition were 30 and 32.81 µg/ml, respectively for rhizomes extract of Halia Bara and Halia Bentong. Results showed that Halia Bentong and Halia Bara possessed anticancer and antiradical properties especially when grown under elevated CO₂concentration. Antioxidant activities of ginger leaves and rhizomes could be increased or improved by using CO₂ enrichment in a controlled environment condition. Results also implied that these ginger varieties could be employed in ethno-medicine for the management of cancerous diseases.

Key words: Thiobarbituric acid assays, CO₂ enrichment, Halia Bentong, Halia Bara, breast cancer cell, MCF–7, MDA–MB–231.