Antioxidant and anticancer activities of chamomile (Matricaria recutita L.)

Abstract

Objectives: The present study aimed at determining the antioxidant activity, total phenols and flavonoids and to evaluate the antiproliferative activity of ethanolic extract of Matricaria recutita L. (chamomile). The antioxidant activities were measured using the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The total phenolic content was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu assay. The flavonoid content was determined using the aluminum chloride method. The MTT assay was used to estimate the antiproliferative activities against human hepatoma (HepG2) cancer cell line. We assessed the mode of action of the extract as a cancer preventive agent and reported its ability to regulate tumor angiogenesis by down regulating in a dose dependent manner the expression of some proteins involved in the process.

Results: The percentage inhibition of DPPH scavenging activity was dose-dependent ranging between (94.8% ± 0.03) at 1.50 mg/mL and (84.2% ± 0.86) at 0.15 mg/mL. It showed high polyphenols (21.4 ± 0.327 mg GAE/g) and high flavonoids content (157.9 ± 2.22 mg QE/g). Effect of extract was investigated against HepG2 cells. A dose-dependent reduction in cell viability was recorded in cells treated with the extract. The IC₅₀ was ~ 300 µg/mL. It significantly inhibited the level of important prerequisite angiogenesis markers both in HepG2 cells and ex vivo.

Keywords: Anticancer; Antioxidants; Medicinal plants; Traditional medicine.

Fig. 1

Assessment of the cytotoxic effects of Matricaria recutita L. extract on hepatocellular carcinoma in vitro. a MTT assay results of HepG2 cells viability after treatment with increasing concentrations of M. recutita L. for 24 h. b Assessment of morphological changes of HepG2 cells after treatment with increasing concentrations of M. recutita L. for 24 h. Cells were fixed and stained with crystal violet (scale bar = 200 μm)

Fig. 2

Inhibitory effect of Matricaria recutita L. extract on angiogenesis related markers. Western blot analysis of important and prerequisites markers in angiogenesis in HepG2 cells post treatment with increasing doses of chamomile for 24 h

Fig. 3

Representative images of immunofluorescence assay of pre-treated HEPG2 cells in two doses of Matricaria recutita L. extract (600 µM and 800 µM). Cells were immunostained with antibody against VEGFR2. VEGFR-positive cells were stained green (Alexa Fluor^® 488) and the nucleus stained blue (DAPI). Scale bar, 20 µm