Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of
cancer worldwide, and
adenocarcinoma cells that form the majority of
colorectal tumors are markedly resistant to
antineoplastic agents. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that consumption of fruits and vegetables that are rich in
polyphenols, is linked to reduced risk of
colorectal cancer. In the present study, the effect of a standardized
anthocyanin (
ACN)‑rich extract on proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle in the Caco-2 human
colorectal cancer cell line was evaluated by
trypan blue and clonogenic assays and western blot analysis of cleaved caspase‑3 and p21Waf/Cif1. The results of the current study demonstrated that the
ACN extract markedly decreased Caco‑2 cell proliferation, induced apoptosis by activating caspase‑3 cleavage, and upregulated cyclin‑dependent
kinase inhibitor 1 (p21Waf/Cif1) expression in a dose dependent manner. Furthermore,
ACN extract was able to produce a dose‑dependent increase of intracellular
reactive oxygen species (ROS) in Caco‑2 cells, together with a light increase of the cell total
antioxidant status. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that a standardized berry
anthocyanin rich extract inhibited proliferation of Caco‑2 cells by promoting ROS accumulation, inducing caspase‑3 activation, and upregulating the expression of p21Waf/Cif1.