Plants represent a reservoir of diverse templates that are being tapped as a source of novel anticancer agents. Gardenia sokotensis (family Rubiaceae) has been reported to have antifebrile activities and is used especially for the treatment of malaria in the Burkina Faso region. The effects of Gardenia sokotensis on cancer cells are still unknown. Here we evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of the ethanolic extract of Gardenia sokotensis leaves on different human cancer cell lines to explore its potential anti-carcinogenic effects. The ethanol extract was found to be particularly active in HCT116 human colon cancer cells at IC50 = 7.5 ± 0.2 μg/ml after 48 h of incubation, a concentration that is only 3.5 times less effective than cisplatin (IC50 = 2.1 ± 0.09 μg/ml) under the same experimental conditions. The extract caused an arrest in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle with a consequent failure in mitosis. Using 2 x IC50 concentrations, a typical DNA fragmentation and activation of specific apoptotic proteins (caspase-3) was observed, suggesting apoptosis induction. Apoptosis was confirmed by the gradual increase in the expression levels of MDM2, p53, p21 and CyclinB1 proteins in the molecular analyses. These findings strongly suggest that the leaf extract of G. sokotensis contains active molecules that should be further evaluated for their anticancer properties. This plant may be used as a possible pharmaceutical supplement.
Cytotoxic activity of the leaf extract of Gardenia sokotensis (Hutch) against human colon cancer cells.
QUASSINTI, Luana;BRAMUCCI, Massimo;LUPIDI, Giulio
2014-01-01
Abstract
Plants represent a reservoir of diverse templates that are being tapped as a source of novel anticancer agents. Gardenia sokotensis (family Rubiaceae) has been reported to have antifebrile activities and is used especially for the treatment of malaria in the Burkina Faso region. The effects of Gardenia sokotensis on cancer cells are still unknown. Here we evaluated the anti-proliferative activity of the ethanolic extract of Gardenia sokotensis leaves on different human cancer cell lines to explore its potential anti-carcinogenic effects. The ethanol extract was found to be particularly active in HCT116 human colon cancer cells at IC50 = 7.5 ± 0.2 μg/ml after 48 h of incubation, a concentration that is only 3.5 times less effective than cisplatin (IC50 = 2.1 ± 0.09 μg/ml) under the same experimental conditions. The extract caused an arrest in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle with a consequent failure in mitosis. Using 2 x IC50 concentrations, a typical DNA fragmentation and activation of specific apoptotic proteins (caspase-3) was observed, suggesting apoptosis induction. Apoptosis was confirmed by the gradual increase in the expression levels of MDM2, p53, p21 and CyclinB1 proteins in the molecular analyses. These findings strongly suggest that the leaf extract of G. sokotensis contains active molecules that should be further evaluated for their anticancer properties. This plant may be used as a possible pharmaceutical supplement.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
