Abstract
Enhancing the valorization of fruit processing by-products is pivotal for advancing the industry. Black mulberry wine residues, a by-product, contains some bioactive compounds, yet its antioxidant and anticancer potentials remain unverified. In this study, ultrasound-assisted enzymatic extraction was optimized by response surface methodology to obtain the flavonoids extracts from black mulberry wine residues, whose antioxidant capacity and anti-cancer activity in vitro was investigated. The results showed that under the optimal extraction conditions (enzyme ratio at pectinase:cellulose = 2:1, mixed enzyme concentration 0.31 mg/mL, enzymatic hydrolysis temperature 55.35 °C, enzymatic hydrolysis time 79.03 min, and ultrasonic time 22.71 min), the extracts from black mulberry wine residues (BMWR-E) reached 5.672 mg/g. At a concentration of 1.2 mg/mL, BMWR-E exhibited strong DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging activities. At a concentration of 2.5 mg/mL, BMWR-E showed a strong superoxide anion radical scavenging capacity, with no significant distinction compared to the positive control group (Vitamin C) (p > 0.05). Cell viability assay results showed that BMWR-E was non-toxic to normal BRL-3A cells when applied at concentrations of 0.1-0.3 mg/mL for an incubation period of 24 h, but BMWR-E exhibited the ability to inhibit the proliferation of HepG2 cells. At concentrations of 0.2 mg/mL and above, BMWR-E could induce late apoptosis of HepG2 cells by increasing the protein expression levels of Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-12, reducing the protein expression levels of Bcl-2, inducing cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, thereby inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 cells. The bioactive properties make BMWR-E possess potential in developing new antioxidants and anti-cancer agents, which would significantly enhance the economic worth of agricultural by-products in product processing. This research can improve the utilization rate of agricultural product processing by-products and protect the environment.