title: Acacia honey and chrysin reduce proliferation of melanoma cells through alterations in cell cycle progression.
abstract: Honey has long been used in medicine for different purposes. Only recently, however, its antioxidant property and preventive effects against different diseases, such as cancer, have been highlighted. Chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone) is a natural flavone commonly found in acacia honey. It has previously been shown to be an anti-tumor agent. In this study, we investigated the antiproliferative role of honey or chrysin on human (A375) and murine (B16-F1) melanoma cell lines. The results of the 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and the trypan blue exclusion test showed that both the tested compounds were able to induce an antiproliferative effect on melanoma cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that cytotoxicity induced by honey or chrysin was mediated by G(0)/G(1) cell cycle arrest and induction of hyperploid progression. Our results suggest that the anti-proliferative effects of honey are due mainly to the presence of chrysin. Chrysin may therefore be considered a potential candidate for both cancer prevention and treatment. Further investigation is needed to validate the contribution of chrysin in tumor therapy in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Honey Research Center, University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' Via della Ricerca Scientifica 1, I-00133 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pichichero
authors.forename: Rosella
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cicconi
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mattei
authors.forename: Marco Gallinella
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Muzi
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canini
mesh_terms: D000045:Acacia; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002453:Cell Cycle / Q000187:drug effects*; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006722:Honey; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008546:Melanoma, Experimental / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005419:Flavonoids; C043561:chrysin