Spirulina Water Extract and Lung-Cancer Cells: A 2018 Lab Study

Research note: The cited study was a laboratory experiment using a water extract and a cancer cell line. It did not involve patients.

What the researchers tested

Czerwonka and colleagues (2018) evaluated a water extract of a commercial Spirulina (Arthrospira platensis) product in A549 human lung-cancer cells. They measured cell viability, proliferation, morphology, cell-cycle markers and apoptosis-related outcomes.

What they reported

The researchers reported reduced A549 cell viability and proliferation, along with changes in cell-cycle and apoptosis measures under their experimental conditions.

Limits

A result in cultured cells does not establish cancer prevention or treatment in people. The product extract tested is not identified as SPRU fresh-frozen Spirulina, and its effect cannot be assumed to apply to SPRU or to food consumption.

Source

Czerwonka et al. (2018), “Anticancer effect of the water extract of a commercial Spirulina product on the human lung cancer A549 cell line.”