A potential oral anticancer drug candidate, Moringa oleifera leaf extract, induces the apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Abstract

Abstract. It has previously been reported that cold water-extracts of Moringa oleifera leaf have anticancer activity against various human cancer cell lines, including non-small cell lung cancer. In the present study, the anticancer activity of M. oleifera leaf extracts was investigated in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells. By the analysis of apoptotic signals, including the induction of caspase or poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage, and the Annexin V and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assays, it was demonstrated that M. oleifera leaf extracts induce the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. In the hollow fiber assay, oral administration of the leaf extracts significantly reduced (44-52%) the proliferation of the HepG2 cells and A549 non-small cell lung cancer cells. These results support the potential of soluble extracts of M. oleifera leaf as orally administered therapeutics for the treatment of human liver and lung cancers.

Medicinal Plants Used in Traditional Management of Cancer in Uganda: A Review of Ethnobotanical Surveys, Phytochemistry, and Anticancer Studies

“…Leaf extracts also showed in vitro anticancer activity on human hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2) cells. At a maximum dose of 200 mg/kg, the survival of HepG2 and non-small-cell lung cancer (A549) cells was reported to decrease by 60% and 50%, respectively [153] Leaf extract had anticancer activity against human epidermoid cancer (Hep2) cell line with IC 50 of 12.5 μg/ mL in the most active fraction [154]. Cytotoxicity of water-soluble leaf extract was reported against human alveolar epithelial cells derived from the lung cancer (A549) cell line with IC 50 of 166.7 μg/mL [155] Cell viability of leaf extract-treated A549, HepG2, CaCo2, Hek293, and Jurkat cells was reported to be reduced with IC 50 from 0.05 to 0.4% [156] Human pancreatic cancer cells (Panc-1, p34, and COLO-357) were inhibited by leaf extracts with IC 50 of 1.1, 1.5, and 1.8 mg/mL [157] Seed extracts had cytotoxic potential against A549, Hep-2, HT-29, and IMR-32 cancer cell lines [158].…”

<i>Moringa oleifera</i>: An apoptosis inducer in cancer cells

“…In addition, a potential oral anticancer drug of cold water extract of M. oleifera leaves induced apoptosis HepG2 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells by activating caspase 3 via cleavage and downregulating the expression of Bcl-xL anti-apoptotic protein [60]. In addition, Hermawan et al detected apoptotic bodies formed in HeLa cells when treated with ethanolic extract of leaves of M. oleifera, the apoptosis cell death was further enhanced in the cells when treated with a combined drug of 100nM doxorubicin and 250 µg/ml of the leaf extract [61].…”

Biological, nutritional, and therapeutic significance of Moringa oleifera Lam

“…Bharali et al () reported skin papillomagenesis subsequent to ingestion of seed and pod extracts. Previous studies had also shown the cytotoxicity of different extracts of MO on human cancer such as leukemia (Harada et al, ), pancreatic cancer (Berkovich et al, ), breast and colorectal cancer (Al‐Asmari et al, ), colon cancer (Lea et al, ), KB tumor cell (Sreelatha et al, ), lung cancer (Jung et al, ), alveolar epithelial cancer (Tiloke et al, ), hepatocellular carcinoma (Khalafalla et al, ), and melanoma (Gismondi et al, ).…”