title: The induction of apoptosis in human melanoma, breast and ovarian cancer cell lines using an essential oil extract from the conifer Tetraclinis articulata.
abstract: The cytotoxic effect of conifer Tetraclinis articulata essential oil (TAEO) on a number of human cancer cell lines and peripheral blood lymphocytes was assessed at various concentrations and time exposures. The cytotoxic effect showed the hallmarks of apoptosis confirmed by a variety of techniques including flow cytometry, an apoptosis- specific marker combined to fluorescent staining and DNA laddering. All cell lines tested were inhibited in a dose-dependent fashion and within a contact time of less than eight hours for the higher concentrations. Melanoma, breast and ovarian cancer cells gave IC50s of around 80 micrograms/ml whilst the IC50s on peripheral blood lymphocytes was almost double this value. We conclude that the essential oil contains components that are effective at inducing apoptosis. The advantages of using a mixture of monoterpenes (C10) as present in an EO over a single component, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, University of Malta, Msida, Malta. jbuh1@um.edu.mt
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Buhagiar
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Podesta
authors.forename: A P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Micallef
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ali
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D008545:Melanoma / Q000473:pathology*; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D014197:Trees / Q000737:chemistry; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured
chemical_list: D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010936:Plant Extracts