title: Evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of Hypericum spp. on human glioblastoma A1235 and breast cancer MDA MB-231 cells.
abstract: Cytotoxic activity of 16 Hypericum ethanolic extracts was evaluated by MTT assay on two human cancer cell lines: glioblastoma A1235 and breast cancer MDA MB-231. Morphology and the type of induced cell death were determined using light and fluorescence microscopy. The majority of Hypericum extracts had no significant cytotoxic effect on MDA MB-231 cells. Eight extracts exhibited mild cytotoxic effect on A1235 cells after 24 h incubation, ranging from 8.0% (H. patulum) to 21.7% (H. oblongifolium). After 72 h of treatment, the strongest inhibition of A1235 viability was observed for extracts of H. androsaemum (26.4-43.9%), H. balearicum (25.8-36.3%), H. delphicum (14.8-27.4%) and H. densiflorum (11.2-24.1%). Micro-scopic examination of cells showed apoptosis as the dominant type of cell death. Due to observed high viability of treated cells, we propose that cytotoxic effects of Hypericum extracts could be related to alternations/interruptions in the cell cycle.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Molecular Biology , Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Josip
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Madunić
authors.affiliation: a Department of Molecular Biology , Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matulić
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pharmaceutical Botany , Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Maja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Friščić
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pharmaceutical Botany , Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, University of Zagreb , Zagreb , Croatia.
authors.forename: Kroata Hazler
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Pilepić
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D020902:Hypericum / Q000737:chemistry*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts
keywords: A1235 glioblastoma cells; Hypericum; MDA MB-231 breast cancer cells; cell viability inhibition