Anti-cancer, anti-biofilm, and anti-inflammatory properties of hen's albumen: A photodynamic approach.

The albumen plays a major role in the protection of eggs against microorganisms. It contains an arsenal of natural antimicrobial molecules and antibacterial proteins, including the well-known ovotransferrin and lysozyme, which exert their activities against a range of bacteria. In the present study, the hen's albumen extract treated with the dried insect body of blister beetle M. pustulata was assessed for antibacterial, antibiofilm, anti-inflammatory and anti-proliferative activity. The zone of inhibition against Gram positive E. faecalis and S. aureus was 10.8 mm and 12.1 mm respectively at 100 μg mL. However, it was 13.6 mm and 15.3 mm for Gram negative P. aeruginosa and P. vulgaris respectively. The biofilm of tested bacteria was significantly inhibited at 100 μg mL. The hydrophobicity of bacterial biofilms was considerably condensed after treatment with the hen's albumen extracts at 100 μg mL. The anti-inflammatory activity of hen's albumen extracts was confirmed by the inhibition of cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme to 84.91% at 100 μg mL with the relative IC of 8.26 μg mL. The albumen extract effectively inhibited the viability (23.61%) of HepG2 hepatic cancer cells at 100 μg mL. The anti-proliferative activity of the albumen extracts was further revealed by the induction of HepG2 apoptotic cell morphology. This study concludes that the hen's albumen extract treated with M. pustulata is a natural therapeutic agent to treat biofilm associated clinical bacteria, inflammations and human hepatic cancer cells.