Antigenotoxic and apoptotic activities of essential oil of Atalantia monophylla Correa.

OBJECTIVE

To study antigenotoxic and apoptotic activities of hydrodistilled essential oil from the leaves of Atalantia monophylla Correa.

METHODS

Antigenotoxic activity of essential oil was tested against hydrogen peroxide (100 μM)-induced deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in 3T3-L1 cells. Cervical cancer cell (HeLa) growth inhibitory effect of essential oil was measured by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay. Annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (FITC/PI), Hoechst 33258, and acridine orange/ethidium bromide (AO/EtBr) staining techniques were used to identify apoptosis.

RESULTS

DNA protecting the activity of A. monophylla essential oil was high at 125 μg/mL. HeLa cell growth was inhibited dose-dependently and inhibitory concentration 50% was calculated as 43.08 ± 0.02 μg/mL. Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining showed membrane breakage and nuclei staining. Further, Hoechst 33258 and AO/EtBr stain also confirmed the apoptosis in essential oil-treated HeLa cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The results obtained suggest that A. monophylla essential oil is a promising natural agent which may be used in preparation of herbal medicine to treat cancer and other diseases.