Cytotoxic activity of the chloroform fraction of Piper aduncum and its effect on the cell cycle in gastric cancer cell lines.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the cytotoxic activity of the chloroform fraction of the Piper aduncum methanolic extract (PAMoCl) and its effect on the cell cycle in two gastric cancer cell lines: AGS and KATO III.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

The cytotoxic effect of PAMoCl was evaluated in cell lines AGS and KATO III. The following PAMoCl concentrations were tested, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 80 and 160 μg/mL. Resazurine was used to evaluate cell viability. In the cell cycle assay, the cells were treated with 19.62 μg/mL and 39.23 μg/mL of PAMoCl for AGS as well as 87.49 μg/mL and 160 μg/mL for KATO III. After 24 hours both cell lines were analyzed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

PAMoCl showed cytotoxic activity, inhibiting cell growth by 50%. It presented a (IC50) of 39.23 μg/mL and 87.49 μg/mL at 24 hours and a (IC50) of 49.47 μg/mL and 64.68 μg/mL at 48 hours against AGS and KATO III cell lines, respectively. In addition, it was observed that PAMoCl has an effect on the cell cycle, it causes an accumulation of cells in the G2/M phase.

CONCLUSIONS

PAMoCl contains secondary metabolites with cytotoxic activity that have an effect on the G2/M phase of the cell cycle, in two gastric cancer cell lines, both primary and metastatic. The results of this study will allow us to deepen the search for more effective active ingredients found in PAMoCl for eliminating gastric cancer cells, but with less toxicity for healthy cells.