title: Cytotoxic Activity and Apoptosis Induction of Hypericum scabrum L.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  One of the acquired biological hallmarks of tumor multistep development is the resistance of cancer cells to apoptosis; therefore, induction of apoptosis is an important therapeutic approach. Hypericum species are spread throughout the world and have been investigated for their biological properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our previous studies had demonstrated cytotoxicity of Hypericum scabrum L. methanol extract against some tumor cell lines, suggesting the species for further studies. The objectives of the present study were to determine the most cytotoxic fraction of Hypericum scabrum L. and to assess the apoptosis induction ability of the most effective fraction as well as its methanol extract. The laboratory evidence has been presented to support the potency of Iranian Traditional Medicine (ITM) medicinal plants as a source of different biological activity surveys and drug discoveries.
  
  
  METHODS
  The present research is a descriptive study. The sampling strategy was based on ITM data of cancer phytotherapy. Hypericum scabrum was collected from Alborz province, Iran (2012) and the herbarium specimen was taxonomically identified. The petroleum ether, dichloromethane, and methanol fractions have been evaluated for cytotoxicity against M-CF7, A-549, HT-29, and HepG-2 cell lines through 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide or MTT assay. The apoptosis induction ability has been assessed by activated caspase-3 inspection and Annexin V FITC/PI (propidium iodide) assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Di-chloromethane fraction demonstrated IC50 values of 25.72 μg/mL and 24.73 μg/mL against HT-29 and HepG-2 cell lines, respectively and IC50 values of petroleum ether fraction were 22.6 μg/mL and 18.31 μg/mL against HT-29 and HepG-2, respectively. The methanol fraction did not show cytotoxic activity. Both the methanol extract and the petroleum ether fraction of Hypericum scabrum L. revealed apoptosis induction ability.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the strong historical background about the therapeutic potential of the genus Hypericum and the considerable cytotoxic and apoptosis induction ability of Hypericum scabrum, this species is suggested for future biological studies.
authors.affiliation: Traditional Medicine and Materia Medica Research Center, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hamzeloo-Moghadam
authors.affiliation: Department of Traditional Pharmacy, School of Traditional Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Amir
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalaj
authors.affiliation: Department of Plant Sciences, School of Biology, College of Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Maryam
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malekmohammadi
keywords: Annexin V Protein; Apoptosis; Caspase-3; Traditional Medicine