Evaluation of strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) 'Alba' sensorial and nutritional quality, and its in vitro effects against human breast cancer cells viability

Breast cancer represents the most common neoplastic disease among women worldwide, with an estimated 1.67 million new cancer cases diagnosed in 2012 (25% of all cancers). Fruits and vegetables contain a number of bioactive compounds, which have been demonstrated to play a series of anti-tumoral effects, such as inhibition of cell proliferation, modulation of cell signaling, effects on gene expression and induction of apoptosis. Among fruits, berries, and in particular strawberries, are among the richest dietary sources of these phytochemicals. Numerous studies have demonstrated the anti-proliferative effect of strawberry in several types of cancer cells, including breast cancer cells. In this study, a methanolic extract from strawberries of the 'Alba' cultivar was administered on two different human breast cancer cell lines for 24, 48 and 72. The well-characterized strawberry extract demonstrated to possess high amounts of polyphenols and Vitamin C. These molecules possess strong anti-oxidant activity, one of the reasons explaining the antiproliferative effects of strawberries. In fact, strawberry treatment demonstrates a high inhibition of human breast cancer cell lines viability after 48 and 72 h of treatment. The data here provided support the evidences from several other studies, providing findings for future in vivo investigations.