{Reference Type}: Journal Article
{Title}: Cytotoxicity of alkaloids isolated from Peganum harmala seeds on HCT116 human colon cancer cells.
{Author}: Salimizadeh Z;Enferadi ST;Majidizadeh T;Mahjoubi F;
{Journal}: Mol Biol Rep
{Volume}: 51
{Issue}: 1
{Year}: 2024 Jun 13
{Factor}: 2.742
{DOI}: 10.1007/s11033-024-09655-7
{Abstract}: <B>BACKGROUND: </B>The present study aimed to elucidate the potential anticancer activity and mechanism of P. harmala's alkaloid extract, harmine (HAR), and harmaline (HAL) in HCT-116 colorectal cancer cells.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>P. harmala's alkaloid was extracted from harmala seeds. HCT-116 cells were treated with P. harmala's alkaloid extract, HAR and HAL. Cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay, apoptotic activity detected via flow cytometry and acridine orange (AO)/ethidium bromide (EB) dual staining, and cell cycle distribution analyzed with flow cytometry. The mRNA expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) and glycogen synthase kinase-3 beta (GSK3β) was measured by real-time PCR. Furthermore, the expression of Bax, Bcl-2, GSK3β and p53 proteins, were determined by western blotting. The findings indicated that, P. harmala's alkaloids extract, HAR and HAL were significantly cytotoxic toward HCT116 cells after 24 and 48 h of treatment. We showed that P. harmala's alkaloid extract induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest at G2 phase in the HCT116 cell line. Downregulation of GSK3β and Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax and p53 were observed.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>The findings of this study indicate that the P. harmala's alkaloid extract has anticancer activity and may be further investigated to develop future anticancer chemotherapeutic agents.