Selective Killing of Human Breast Cancer Cells by Plasma‐Treated L‐Arginine Solution

ABSTRACT l ‐arginine is a nonessential amino acid that plays an important role in normal immune function and can be used as an adjuvant treatment for cancers. The antitumor effect of nonequilibrium atmospheric pressure plasma treated l ‐arginine solutions (PTA) was investigated in this research. The cancer‐specific killing effect of PTA on human breast epithelial cells (MCF‐10A) and human breast cancer cells (MCF‐7) was proved. Liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyze the organic compounds formed in PTA, and their effects were individually evaluated by MTS assay, revealing that some compounds inhibited cell proliferation but lacked selectivity. PTA's selective cytotoxicity may result from a mixture of various compounds formed in plasma combined in a certain concentration.