Bioactive Constituents, Antioxidant Activity and in Vitro Cancer Cell Cytotoxicity of Moroccan Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus indica L.) Juices

Several physico-chemical properties such as fruit pulp weight percentage, acidity, pH, soluble solid content,Antioxidant activity, total phenolic, flavonoid, flavonol and betalain content of nine selected promising cactuspear (Opuntia ficus indica L.) accessions were determined. The antioxidant capacity was assessed by means oftwo different methods: the 2,2-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (Trolox equivalent antioxidantcapacity) (ABTS) method and the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical method. The results showedqualitative and quantitative differences in the physico-chemical characteristics of cactus pear accessions. Totalphenolics and flavonoids content were found between 354.37 and 643.66 ?g gallic acid eq/g and 24.67 and 49.03?g catechin eq./g dry weight basis. The in vitro cytotoxicity was measured toward P-815 cell line by the growthinhibition assay determined by the MTT viability assay. We found that juice of different cultivars exert a dosedependentgrowth inhibition against P-815 cell line. The results provide important information on how to makethe best use of cactus pear genotypes investigated for different uses, which is of significance for bothtechnological research and processing practice.Keywords: prickly pears Juices acidity, sugar content, phenolics, flavonoids, flavonols, betalains, antioxidantactivity, anticancer effect