Study of cytotoxic and apoptogenic properties of saffron extract in human cancer cell lines

Saffron (dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L.) has been used as a spice, food colorant and medicinal plant for millennia. In this study cytotoxic effect of saffron extract was evaluated in HepG2 and HeLa cell lines. Meanwhile role of apoptosis and ROS were explored. Malignant and non-malignant cells (...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Food and chemical toxicology 2008-11, Vol.46 (11), p.3443-3447
Main Authors: Tavakkol-Afshari, Jalil, Brook, Azam, Mousavi, Seyed Hadi
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
anticarcinogenic activity
Anticarcinogenic Agents - pharmacology
Antimutagenic Agents - pharmacology
Antineoplastic agents
Apoptosis
Apoptosis - drug effects
Biological and medical sciences
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - pathology
cell cycle
cell death
Cell Line, Tumor
Cell Survival - drug effects
chemoprevention
Chemotherapy
Crocus
Crocus - chemistry
Crocus sativus
Crocus sativus L
Cytotoxicity
cytotoxins
DNA Fragmentation
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
ethanol
extraction
Female
Flow Cytometry
food coloring
HeLa
HeLa Cells
hepatoma
HepG2
human cell lines
Humans
indigenous species
liver neoplasms
Liver Neoplasms - pathology
Medical sciences
medicinal plants
Mutagenicity Tests
natural additives
Pharmacology. Drug treatments
plant extracts
Plant Extracts - pharmacology
reactive oxygen species
Reactive Oxygen Species - metabolism
saffron
spices
Time Factors
Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology
viability
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Summary:Saffron (dried stigmas of Crocus sativus L.) has been used as a spice, food colorant and medicinal plant for millennia. In this study cytotoxic effect of saffron extract was evaluated in HepG2 and HeLa cell lines. Meanwhile role of apoptosis and ROS were explored. Malignant and non-malignant cells (L929) were cultured in DMEM medium and incubated with different concentrations of ethanolic saffron extract. Cell viability was quantitated by MTT assay. Apoptotic cells were determined using PI staining of DNA fragmentation by flow cytometry (sub-G1 peak). ROS was measured using DCF-DA by flow cytometry analysis. Saffron could decrease cell viability in malignant cells as a concentration and time-dependent manner. The IC50 values against HeLa and HepG2 were determined 800 and 950 μg/ml after 48 h, respectively. Saffron induced a sub-G1 peak in flow cytometry histogram of treated cells compared to control indicating apoptotic cell death is involved in saffron toxicity. This toxicity was also independent of ROS production. It might be concluded that saffron could cause cell death in HeLa and HepG2 cells, in which apoptosis or programmed cell death plays an important role. Saffron could be also considered as a promising chemotherapeutic agent in cancer treatment in future.
ISSN:0278-6915
1873-6351
DOI:10.1016/j.fct.2008.08.018