Background and Objective: Maprang or Marian plum (Bouae burmanica) seeds are the leftover from local fruit consumption. Since seeds have purple color, it may contain pigments which are polyphenols. This study aimed to investigate  basic physicochemical properties and evaluate anti-proliferative activity of Maprang seed extracts against drug-sensitive and resistant leukemic and lung cancer cells.

Methods: Maprang seeds were extracted in serial manner with chloroform, acetonitrile, ethanol and water, respectively. The absorption spectra were analyzed and anti-proliferative activities of the extracts were evaluated against doxorubicin-sensitive and -resistant leukemic and lung cancer cells (K562, K562/adr, GLC4 and GLC4/adr). Furthermore, the morphological changes of cancer cells treated with the extracts were investigated.

Results: The acetonitrile, ethanol and water extracts possessed absorption spectra corresponding to those of polyphenols. In addition, all extracts can inhibit cell growth in K562, K562/adr, GLC4 and GLC4/adr cells with similar potency. The most potent anti-proliferative activity was found in ethanol extract. Moreover, the morphological changes of the extract treated cells were consistent with those of the apoptotic cell death.

Conclusions: Maprang seed extracts might contain polyphenols and exhibit  anti-proliferative activity against drug-sensitive as well as -resistant leukemic and lung cancer cells. The effect might be associated with apoptotic induction. Therefore, this information could be useful for the development of anticancer drugs derived from Maprang seed extracts.

Keywords: Maprang seed, polyphenols, anti-proliferative activity, multidrug resistance, apoptosis