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. 2019 Nov;27(7):1053-1060.
doi: 10.1016/j.jsps.2019.09.001. Epub 2019 Sep 25.

Evaluation of cytotoxicity, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induced by Anethum graveolens L . essential oil in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line

Ebtesam S Al-Sheddi  1 , Nouf A Al-Zaid  1 , Mai M Al-Oqail  1 , Shaza M Al-Massarani  1 , Ali A El-Gamal  1   2 , Nida N Farshori  1
Affiliations

Evaluation of cytotoxicity, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis induced by Anethum graveolens L . essential oil in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line

Ebtesam S Al-Sheddi et al. Saudi Pharm J. 2019 Nov.

Abstract

Anethum graveolens L. (A. graveolens) commonly known as dill, is an essential oil bearing plant extensively being used in traditional system of medicine. However, the reports on the components and biological responses of A. graveolens essential oil (AG-EO) from Saudi Arabia are scarce. The present study was designed to explore the presence of basic constituents and apoptosis induced by AG-EO in HepG2 cells. The constituents in AG-EO was analyzed by Gas chromatography-Mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Cytotoxicity of AG-EO was measured by MTT assay and cell cycle arrest and apoptosis assays were conducted by using flow cytometer. Based on GC-MS analysis, the main constituents present in AG-EO were carvone (53.130%), dillapole (25.420%), dihydrocarvone 2 (11.350%) and dihydrocarvone 1 (6.260%). A few other minor components were also identified viz. cis-dihydrocarveol (0.690%), limonene (0.580%), isodihydrocarveol (0.370%), myristicin (0.210%) and cis-arsone (0.190%). The cytotoxicity results showed that AG-EO decrease the cell viability and inhibit the cell growth of HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. The inhibitory activity of AG-EO was found with IC50 = 59.6 ± 5.64. The cell cycle arrest results showed that HepG2 cells exposed to AG-EO exhibited an increase in G2/M and pre-G1 cell population after 24 h exposure. Furthermore, the flow cytometry data revealed the primarily activation of cell death by apoptosis manners in HepG2 cells exposed to AG-EO. Overall, results from this study highlighted the anticancer potential of AG-EO, which could be considered as a new agent for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma.

Keywords: A. graveolens; Anticancer; Apoptosis; Cell cycle arrest; Essential oil; Hepatocellular carcinoma.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors hereby declare that there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
GC–MS chromatogram of Anethum graveolens essential oil (AG-EO).
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Cytotoxicity assessment by MTT assay in HepG2 cells following the exposure of various concentrations of Anethum graveolens essential oil (AG-EO) for 24 h.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Cell cycle analysis in HepG2 cells exposed to Anethum graveolens essential oil (AG-EO) for 24 h. Representative flow cytometric image exhibiting changes in the progression of cell cycle. [A]: Control; [B]: 20 μg/ml; [C]: 60 μg/ml; [D]: 200 μg/ml.
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Flow cytometry analysis of apoptosis in HepG2 cells exposed to various concentrations of treated with various concentrations of Anethum graveolens essential oil (AG-EO). The scatter plots show total, early apoptosis, late apoptotic and necrotic cells following 24 h exposure. [A]: Control; [B]: 20 μg/ml; [C]: 60 μg/ml; [D]: 200 μg/ml.
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