Investigating the Antioxidant and Anti-Cancer Properties of Milk Thistle Extract Against the HepG2 Cells
Abstract
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third among all cancer-related causes of death worldwide. The primary cause of HCC development is oxidative stress. Milk thistle (MT) contains numerous phytochemicals that contain antioxidant and hepatoprotective properties. The goal of this study was to investigate MT's chemical composition and antioxidant activity, as well as its bioactive compound's in vitro anti-cancer efficacy against HepG2 human liver cancer cells.
Methods: We analyzed the bioactive components of MT using GC-MS and HPLC methods. The antioxidant activity was measured by the total phenolic, total flavonoid, DPPH, and radical ABTS scavenging. Furthermore, we evaluated the anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity using the human cell line HepG2. The MTT test was used to calculate the IC50 values of MT. Cell cycle and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry in the cell lines.
Result: Our findings demonstrated that 11 bioactive compounds with antioxidant potential were identified via GC/MS screening. Eighteen bioactive compounds with anti-cancer and antioxidant capabilities were found through HPLC screening. Furthermore, HPLC analysis demonstrated both high quality and number of amino acids. MT stops the growth of HepG2 cells at an IC50 level of 21.727±0.89 μg/ml. Moreover, MT arrested HepG2 cells in the G1 phase and induced apoptosis.
Conclusion: The findings of this study indicate that bioactive MT extract has potential therapeutic effects on cancer cells, highlighting the need for further research to explore its mechanisms of action and therapeutic applications in cancer treatment.
Keywords: Milk Thistle; Free Radicals; Oxidative Stress; HCC; Anti-oxidants
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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.62940/als.v12i1.3549
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