The Cytotoxic and Pro-Apoptotic Effects of Various Extracts of Allium Giganteum on MCF-7 and Hela Cell Lines

Here, the cytotoxicity of various Allium giganteum extracts was evaluated on MCF-7 and HeLa cell lines, to introduce novel anti-cancer agents from natural resources,

Flowers of the plant were subjected to extraction in a four steps method, and the extracts were evaluated for their cytotoxicity on MCF-7 and HeLa cell lines. MTT assay was performed 48 hours. Following treatment of the cells with 10, 20, and 50 µg/ml of different extracts. The mechanism of the induced cell death was assessed by flow cytometry following Annexin/PI staining of the treated cells.

The MTT results showed significant toxicity of dichloromethane, chloroform-methanol (9:1), and butanolic extracts at 50 µg/ml on MCF-7, and at 20 and 50 µg/ml on HeLa cells compared to control (P < 0.05). No significant cytotoxicity and apoptosis induction was observed following treatment with aquatic extract. The flow cytometric analysis results indicated apoptosis induction by all the three extracts on MCF-7 cells.

The dichloromethane, chloroform-methanol (9:1), and butanolic extracts of Allium giganteum showed cytotoxic effects on the cancer cells, and up to 26% apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. Due to the desirable results of this study, extraction and identification of constituents of the extracts, especially steroidal saponin constituents, could be valuable.