Ethyl acetate extract of Clausena excavata induces growth inhibition of non-small-lung cancer, NCI-H460, cell line via apoptosis.

CONTEXT: Clausena excavata Burm. f is a plant used in folklore medicine for the treatment of various ailments in South East Asia. The plant parts contain chemical components that are cytotoxic to many cancer cells.

OBJECTIVE

The study investigated the cytotoxic effects of ethyl acetate, methanol and chloroform C. excavata leaf extracts on the non-small-lung cancer, NCI-H460, cell line.

METHODS

Based on the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5,-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, among extracts, ethyl acetate C. excavata leaf extract (EACE) was the most potent anti-NCI-H460 cells, with IC50 value of 47.1 ± 6.1 μg/ml. The effects of EACE on NCI-H460 cells were also determined by clonogenic, 4', 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), and annexin-V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide-PI flow cytometric assays. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptotic gene expressions was determined via flow cytometry and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively.

RESULTS

EACE-treated NCI-H460 cells after 48 h underwent apoptosis as evident by loss of cell viability, cell shrinkage, and chromatin condensation. The results also showed EACE mediated increase in ROS production by the NCI-H460 cells. After 48 h treatment, EACE increased the pro-apoptotic BAX and decreased the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, Survivin and c-Myc gene expressions.

CONCLUSIONS

EACE is a potential anti-lung cancer by increasing cancer cell ROS production and apoptosis.