Modulatory impact of selected ellagitannins on the viability of human breast cancer cells

The impact of agrimoniin, sanguiin H-6, rugosins D and A, tellimagrandin I, and pedunculagin on Adriamycin-resistant (MCF-7/Adr) and wild-type (MCF-7/wt) human breast cancer cell lines was evaluated with MTT assay. An inhibitory effect on MCF-7/wt cells viability grew stronger with the number of functional units: hexahydroxydiphenoyl (HHDP) group - releasable in the form of ellagic acid (EA), and HHDP derivatives (releasable in the form of EA derivatives). Thus agrimoniin (with five units) was the most active, pedunculagin and rugosin D (with two units each) exhibited medium impact, and rugosin A and tellimagrandin I (both with 1 unit) were the least active. Sanguiin H-6 was the only compound which inhibited MCF-7/Adr cells. It might be hypothesized that the characteristic for sanguiin H-6 structural sanguisorboyl unit contributed to the effect on MCF-7/Adr cells.