Characteristics and Cytotoxic Activity of Fucoidan from the Brown Seaweed Sargassum hystrix against MCF-7 Breast Cancer Cells

Cancer is a disease that is considered a problem in the health sector. Cancer treatment methods still have side effects, so a safer alternative to anticancer treatment is needed. For example, fucoidan is a sulfated carbohydrate produced by brown seaweed and known to have a wide range of bioactivity, including anticancer activity. This study aimed to characterize fucoidan from the brown seaweed Sargassum hystrix and test its cytotoxic activity against the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Fucoidan was extracted using distilled water at 85°C and characterized by determining the yield, total sugar, and total sulfate contents and analyzing its functional groups. Fucoidan was then subjected to a cytotoxic activity test on MCF-7 breast cancer cells based on an MTT method. Results demonstrated that S. hystrix fucoidan had a yield of 6.77% ± 1.47%, total sugar content of 69.35% ± 5.83%, and a sulfate content of 26.5% ± 2.73%. Functional group analysis revealed the existence of ester and sulfate in the extract, indicating the fucoidan content. Fucoidan elicited cytotoxic effects on MCF-7 breast cancer cells and had IC50 of 555.54 µg/mL. Fucoidan-exposed cancer cells shrank. They were round and had a limited spread pattern. Thus, S. hystrix fucoidan has an anticancer activity and should be further scrutinized as a potential alternative cancer therapy.