Bioactive Chemicals from Carrot (Daucus carota) Juice Extracts for the Treatment of Leukemia

Abstract

Overwhelming evidence indicates that consumption of fruits and vegetables with antioxidant properties correlates with reduced risk for cancers, including leukemia. Carrots contain beneficial agents, such as β-carotene and polyacetylenes, which could be effective in the treatment of leukemia. This study investigated the effect of carrot juice extracts on myeloid and lymphoid leukemia cell lines together with normal hematopoietic stem cells. Leukemia cell lines and nontumor control cells were treated with carrot juice extracts for up to 72 hours in vitro. Induction of apoptosis was investigated by using annexin V/propidium iodide staining followed by flow cytometric analysis, and results were confirmed by using 4'-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole morphology. Effects on cellular proliferation were investigated via cell cycle analysis and cell counts. Treatment of leukemia cell lines with carrot juice extract induced apoptosis and inhibited progression through the cell cycle. Lymphoid cell lines were affected to a greater extent than were myeloid cell lines, and normal hematopoietic stem cells were less sensitive than most cell lines. This study has shown that extracts from carrots can induce apoptosis and cause cell cycle arrest in leukemia cell lines. The findings suggest that carrots may be an excellent source of bioactive chemicals for the treatment of leukemia.

Nutritional and therapeutic importance of Daucus carota- A review

“…Treatment of leukemia cell lines with carrot juice extract induced apoptosis and caused cell cycle arrest. Lymphoid cell lines were affected to a greater extent than were myeloid cell lines, while, normal hematopoietic stem cells were less sensitive than cancer cell lines [106]. The anticancer effect of Daucus carota oil extract fractions was studied on the human breast adenocarcinoma cell lines MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7.…”

Estonian folk traditional experiences on natural anticancer remedies: From past to the future

“…At the same time, the root extract of Beta vulgaris L. (Chenopodiaceae) (beet) can inhibit the growth of hormone-dependent human breast cancer cells (Tripathy & Pradhan, 2013) and taproot juice of Daucus sativus Hort. Ex Passerini (Apiaceae) (carrot) may be an excellent source of bioactive chemicals for the treatment of different leukemias affecting somewhat stronger lymphoid than myeloid malignancies (Zaini et al, 2011(Zaini et al, , 2012.…”

Differential Interactions of Falcarinol Combined with Anti-Tumour Agents on Cellular Proliferation and Apoptosis in Human Lymphoid Leukaemia Cell Lines

“…Falcarinol, a natural polyacetylene from carrots (Daucus carota) has been previously indicated as an inducer of apoptosis and inhibitor of cellular proliferation within Leukaemia cell lines [4,5]. The key potential for natural agents in anti-cancer therapies is in the combination with existing chemotherapy and anti-tumour agents.…”

“…Three human lymphoid Leukaemia cell lines were used in this study, which we have previously shown have high sensitivity to Falcarinol [5], CCRF-CEM (acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia) (ATCC: CCL-119, Middlesex, UK); Jurkat (peripheral blood T cell Leukaemia) (ATCC: TIB-152, Middlesex, UK); and MOLT-3 (acute lymphoblastic Leukaemia patient relapsed following chemotherapy) (ATCC: CRL-1552, Middlesex, UK) [5]. All cell lines used in this study were routinely tested against mycoplasma bacterial infection using the MycoAlert® Mycoplasma Detection Kit (Lonza, USA).…”