• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.649-654
• /
• 2006

To enhance beneficial effects of citron fruits, anticancer and antioxidant activities of citron fruits extracts were assessed with or without ascorbic acid. Total phenolic acids and flavonoids of fruits peels and flesh extracts were determined. Fruits peels contained more phenolic acids and flavonoids than those detected in flesh extracts. Scavenging activities of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radicals and reducing powers were increased depending on the concentration. The antioxidant activities on oxidation of linoleic acid emulsion incubated at $50^{\circ}C$ were increased but the effect was small to that of butylated hydroxy toluene and ascorbic acid. The anti-tumorigenic effect of these compounds were investigated. They were shown to inhibit the in vitro proliferation of four human tumorigenic cell lines, HT-29, MCF-7, DU-145 and HepG2, in a doso-dependent manner. This study demonstrated that the antioxidant and anticancer activities of citron fruits extracts were derived from their phenols and flavonoids.