ANTICARCINOGENIC EFFECT OF COCOA (Theobroma cacao L.) IN MCF-7 BREAST CANCER CELLS

Resumo

INTRODUCTION: Breast cancer is one of the most prevalent and deadly malignancies among women worldwide. Its high incidence and mortality rate pose a significant public health challenge. Despite advances in diagnosis and therapy, treatment resistance, especially to hormone therapy and chemotherapy, remains a major obstacle to effective clinical outcomes. In this context, the search for alternative or complementary therapeutic strategies is essential. Natural products have gained attention due to their structural diversity and bioactive potential. Several compounds of plant origin, such as curcumin and resveratrol, have demonstrated anticarcinogenic activity in breast cancer by modulating oxidative stress, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. Cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.), widely consumed as food, is rich in flavonoids such as catechin, epicatechin, and procyanidins, which exhibit potent antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antiproliferative properties. These effects may contribute to its potential as an adjuvant in breast cancer prevention and treatment. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the anticarcinogenic effect of cocoa in MCF-7 breast cancer cells. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MCF-7 cells were plated at a concentration of 5×10⁴ and 2×10⁴ cells/well and incubated with cocoa extract at concentrations of 30, 100, 250, 500, 750, and 1000 µg/mL for 24 and 72 hours. After incubation, cell viability was assessed using the MTT assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The results indicated that the highest concentration of cocoa extract (1000 µg/mL) significantly reduction in proliferation parameters, that is, demonstrated an anticarcinogenic effect in MCF-7 cells. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that cocoa presents anticarcinogenic activity in this cell line, and further studies should be conducted to explore its potential as a new adjuvant therapy for breast cancer.