Comparison of Anticancer Activity of Hydroalcoholic Extracts of Curcuma longa L., Peganum harmala L., and Boswellia serrata on HeLa cells

Cervical cancer is the second most common cancer in women. Several native Iranian herbs used in traditional medicine are proven to have cytotoxic effects.
The present study was designed to compare the anticancer effects of three medicinal herbs, Peganum harmala L., Curcuma longa L., and Boswellia serrata, on a cervical cancer cell line (HeLa).
HeLa cells were exposed to different doses of hydroalcoholic extracts of the three plants (12.5, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µg/mL) for 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. After the incubation period, the modified colorimetric MTT assay was used to determine cytotoxicity.
The highest percentage of cell death for P. harmala was observed after 72 hours of incubation, and 50% growth inhibitory concentration (IC50) at 24 hours was 12.5 μg/mL. For B. serrata, the highest percentage of cell death was observed after 72 hours of incubation; IC50 at 24 and 48 hours were 50 μg/mL and 12.5 μg/mL, respectively. C. longa L. had an IC50 of 12.5 μg/mL after 72 hours of incubation.
The results of the MTT assay showed that B. serrata and P. harmala L. extracts had time- and dose-dependent cytotoxic effects. However, C. longa L. extracts induced apoptosis only in a time-dependent manner. A higher cytotoxic effect was observed on HeLa cells with P. harmala and B. serrata extracts compared to C. longa extract at all applied concentrations.