Fig. 3

Differential effects of free or encapsulated DHA on the growth the breast carcinoma cell line MDA-MB-231. Cells were exposed to free DHA (a), free DHA + VitE (b) and free DHA + H2O2 (c) over a 0.3–100 μM concentration range or an equivalent volume of ethanol (delivery vehicle) as a control. The same conditions were used with nanocapsules containing the same substances. The MTT assay was performed after 4 days culture. The relative cell proliferation (absorbance of test wells). was expressed as a percentage of the control (line 100 %) that was not treated with DHA (absorbance of control wells without DHA or with NC alone). Results are expressed as absorbance, normalized as percent of control (100 %). * Significantly different between the free and encapsulated substances at the same concentration, at P < 0.05. Data points are mean ± SEM of three separate experiments, each one performed in three wells