The aim of this study was to evaluate the estrogenic activity of tuberous samples of wild, phytoestrogen-rich
Pueraria mirifica collected from 28 out of 76 provinces of Thailand by MCF-7 proliferation assay. The plant extracts were administered to MCF-7, ERα positive human mammary adenocarcinoma cell cultures, for 3 days at dosages of 0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1,000
μg/ml and were compared with 17
β-estradiol at concentrations of 10
-12-10
-6 M. The mean
P. mirifica population at 1
μg/ml exhibited significant proliferation. Two plant samples exhibited levels of proliferation in MCF-7 that were similar to 17
β-estradiol. The mean
P. mirifica populations at 100 and 1,000
μg/ml exhibited significant cytotoxicity in MCF-7. Analysis of the estrogenic activity of puerarin, representative of major isoflavonoids in
P. mirifica tubers, revealed proliferation in MCF-7 only at the highest dose (10
-6 M) that was 10
2-10
5 times less active than 17
β-estradiol. Puerarin and 17
β-estradiol at concentration of 10
-12-10
-6 M exhibited no cytotoxicity in MCF-7.
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