Cytotoxic and DNA-Damaging Effects of <i>Aronia melanocarpa</i>, <i>Cornus mas</i>, and <i>Chaenomeles superba</i> Leaf Extracts on the Human Colon Adenocarcinoma Cell Line Caco-2

• Main Authors: Magdalena Efenberger-Szmechtyk (Author), Adriana Nowak (Author), Agnieszka Nowak (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: MDPI AG, 2020-10-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.
• Notes: 10.3390/antiox9111030; 2076-3921
• Keywords: cytotoxicity; genotoxicity; DNA repair; Caco-2; <i>Aronia melanocarpa</i>; <i>Chaenomeles superba</i>; Therapeutics. Pharmacology; RM1-950
• Source: Antioxidants, Vol 9, Iss 11, p 1030 (2020)

<i>Aronia melanocarpa</i>, <i>Cornus mas</i>, and <i>Chaenomeles superba</i> leaf extracts contain large amounts of bioactive compounds-mainly polyphenols, which possess many health benefits including anti-cancer properties. Here, we investigate the biological effects of <i>A. melanocarpa, C. mas</i>, and <i>C. superba</i> leaf extracts on the human colon adenocarcinoma cell line Caco-2. The antiproliferative activity of the extracts was measured using the MTT assay. The most cytotoxic extract was <i>C. mas</i> (IC₅₀ = 0.60%). The extracts caused morphological changes in the Caco-2 cells, including partial detachment of cells, necrotic cells, chromatin condensation, cytoplasmic vacuolization, cell nuclei lysis, and nucleus fragmentation. The DNA damage in the Caco-2 cells after exposure to the leaf extracts was measured using the alkaline comet assay. The extracts increased DNA damage in a concentration dependent manner. However, at lower non-cyto- and non-genotoxic (IC₀) concentrations the extracts induced DNA repair in Caco-2 cells after exposure to hydrogen peroxide. In conclusion, the results of these studies suggest that A<i>. melanocarpa, C. mas</i> and <i>C. superba</i> leaf extracts can show anticancer activity. However, further research is required on the mechanisms of anti-cancer activity by these extracts, with the application of more advanced and wide-ranging techniques including in vivo experiments.