THE APOPTOTIC PROPERTIES OF CINNAMOMUM ZEYLANICUM AND CYMBOPOGON CITRATUS ON HUMAN HEPATOCELLULAR CARCINOMA CELL LINE (HEPG2)

Sobhy Hassab El-Nabi , Islam El-Garawani and *Aya El-Berry

ABSTRACT

In Egypt, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is considered the third most frequent cause of cancer-related death. The study goal is the discovery of safe, efficacious and cheap alternative natural medicines with less side-effects of chemotherapy. In this study, the apoptotic properties of Cinnamon, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, (CWE) and lemongrass, Cymbopogon citratus (LgWE) aqueous extracts on human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) were investigated. Antioxidant potential of both extracts was evaluated by using DPPH assay in addition to flavonoids and total phenolic contents. Cytotoxic activities of both extracts were assessed using neutral red uptake method and the results revealed (600 and 630μg/ml) for CWE and LgWE respectively. Morphological changes were evaluated using Giemsa and dual acridine orange / ethidium bromide fluorescent staining methods. As a result, both cytoplasmic and nuclear morphological examinations of treated cells showed significant (P≤0.05) dose dependant apoptotic features at both doses after 24 hr as compared to control. Agarose gel electrophoresis of both extracts-treated cells showed apoptotic laddering pattern at dose dependant manner. In conclusion, cinnamon and lemongrass could be a source of natural antioxidants as they induced growth inhibition and apoptosis in HepG2 cells leading to further investigations for new anticancer drug discovery.

Keywords: Apoptosis - Cinnamomum zeylanicum – Cymbopogon citratus - HepG2 cells.