2015,    N 5 (21)    

PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY

Balakina A.A., Kuzmina E.A., Drevova A.N., Moubarak M.M., Karsunkina N.P., Kalashnikova E.A., Cherednichenko M.Yu.

Estimation of cytotoxic effect of medicinal herbal extracts on М HeLa Cells

The main focus in the development of products based on medicinal stock and used in cancer treatment is the search for biological response modifiers. This is a group of biologically active compounds: enzymes, alkaloids, various microelements and growth regulators - specifically acting on tumor cells, they have a cytotoxic effect, but also stimulate tumor resistance of an organism, thus strengthening the effectiveness of therapy by reducing the toxic effects on a body. Medicinal plants, which include phenolic compounds, flavonoids, xanthones etc., occupy an important role in cancer treatment. The substances have a high antioxidant activity that leads to the neutralization of free radicals and to decreasing their concentrations, promoting cell membranes stabilization, provide complete neutralization and removal of toxins that accumulate in cancer due to hepatoprotective and diuretic effects. In this study we used extracts from Hypericum perforatum L. (family Hypericaceae), Thymus vulgaris L., Thymus serpyllum L., Mentha pulegium L. (family Lamiaceae). To assess the cytotoxicity we used MTT-test on epithelioid cervical human carcinoma cell line (subline of HeLa, clone M HeLa). Extract of Hypericum plants showed cytotoxicity below 50 % even at the maximum concentration (2500 ?g/ml). Mint extract at a concentration 2500 ?g/ml resulted in almost 100 % tumor cell death. Extracts from Thymus plants were the most effective: already at a concentration of 500 ?g/ml a half of cells were killed. The results show prospects of studying and using extracts of medicinal herbs in cancer treatment.

Keywords: HYPERICUM PERFORATUM, THYMUS VULGARIS, THYMUS SERPYLLUM, MENTHA PULEGIUM, M HELA, МТТ-TEST, CYTOTOXICITY, MEDICINAL HERBS