The apoptotic activity of flavonoid-containing Gratiola officinalis extract in cell cultures of human kidney cancer

Objective ― The discovery of the apoptosis-inducing effects of flavonoid vagonin allowed to make an assumption of existence of similar effect in others flavonoids. This study is devoted to the effects of Gratīola officinālis extract on cell culture of the human kidney cancer. Methods ― Cell cultures of human kidney carcinoma – Caki-1 and SN12c were used in the study. The cells were stained with Hoechat 33258 dye. The number of living cells, cells in a state of apoptosis and mitosis were counted. The Cramer-Welch criterion (T) was used to compare the obtained data. Results ― The activation of apoptosis was noted at all concentrations of the Gratiola officinalis L. extract during the first day of exposure. The apoptotic activity increased with increasing of extract concentration. After 48 hours, this activity was maintained only at a Gratiola officinalis L. extract concentration of 0.9 mg/ml. After 24 hours, the apoptotic activity of the extract was more expressed in the culture of CaKi-1. However, after 48 hours the extract induces more pronounced apoptosis in the culture of Sn12c cells. The cytotoxic activity of the extract was not differ after 24 hours in both cultures, after 48 hours it was more pronounced in the culture of CaKi-1. Conclusion ― We revealed a pronounced antitumor and apoptotic activity of the Gratiola officinalis L. extract against the cultures of the kidney cancer Caki-1 and Sn12c. Apoptosis of tumor cells can be manifested in the form of pycnosis of the nucleus, the formation of apoptotic bodies and the emergence of cellular debris resulting from complete degradation of tumor cells. The apoptotic activity of the Gratiola officinalis extract depends on their concentration

Effect of flavonoid-containing extracts on the growth of transplanted sarcoma 45, peripheral blood and bone marrow condition after oral and intramuscular administration in rats

Objective — Discovery of the apoptosis-inducing effects of flavonoid vagonin allowed to make an assumption of existence of similar effect in others flavonoids. This study of the effects of extracts from Gratīola officinālis, Helichrýsum arenárium and diploid forms of Zea mays on bone marrow and blood leucocytes at intramuscular and oral administration was carried out on rats bearing sarcoma 45. Earlier, the apoptosis-inducing effects were detected for these extracts but the toxic effects of extracts on blood and bone marrow have not been studied. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effects of these extracts on white blood cell count and bone marrow morphology. Material and Methods — The experiments were carried out on 48 male Wistar albino rats according to University's Animal Ethics Committee (Protocol № 13, 2011, Saratov, Russia) and the relevant national agency regulating experiments on animals. We evaluated white blood cell count and bone marrow morphology in animals after oral and intramuscular administration of extracts. A growth rate of tumor was also ranked. Results — Oral and intramuscular administration of extracts from flavonoid-containing plants Zea mays and Gratīola officinālis causes normalization of myelocytic germ parameters in bone marrow of tumor-bearing rats and increase of lymphocyte percent in white blood cell count of blood and myelogram. Conclusion — Absence of toxic effects and normalization of myelocytic germ parameters in bone marrow of tumor-bearing rats after oral and intramuscular administration of extracts from flavonoid-containing plants Zea mays and Gratīola officinālis allows to recommend further study of the antitumor effect of these extracts