Investigation of the antioxidant and anticancer properties of dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus and Hylocereus polyrhizus) in human colon cancer.

Antioxidant and anticancer properties of methanol extracts from dragon fruit pulp and peel (Hylocereus undatus (Haw.) Britton & Rose and Hylocereus polyrhizus (F.A.C. Weber) Britton & Rose) in CRC were investigated. Antioxidant activity, phenolic and flavonoid contents, and phenolic composition were assessed using antioxidant assays, and HPLC. Cytotoxicity, cell migration, apoptosis, and apoptotic marker expression were evaluated. Peel extracts showed higher phenolic and flavonoid contents and stronger antioxidant activity. Peel extracts of white (WPME) and purple (PPME) dragon fruit showed highest antioxidant capacities (IC50: 0.96 and 1.28 µg/mL) and cytotoxicity against HT-29 cells (IC50: 148.4 and 135.8 µg/mL). Cell migration was inhibited, and early apoptosis increased 6.86-, 5.96-, and 5.26-fold after purple peel (PPME), purple pulp (PPUME), and white pulp (WPUME) extracts, accompanied by Bax and caspase-12 upregulation and Bcl-2 downregulation. Results suggest that peel-derived dragon fruit extracts possess antioxidant and anticancer potential, supporting further in vivo studies for CRC.