Foeniculum Vulgare and Pelargonium Graveolens Essential Oil Mixture Triggers the Cell Cycle Arrest and Apoptosis in MCF-7 Cells

Author(s):

Islam El-Garawani, Sobhy Hassab El Nabi , Ebtesam Nafie and Samar Almeldin *   Pages 1103 - 1113 ( 11 )

Abstract:

<P>Background: Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and rose geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) oils are known for their various biological effects including anticancer properties. </P><P> Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the anticancer mechanism of fennel and geranium oils combined treatment on MCF-7 cells. </P><P> Methods: The GC-MS method for essential oil characterization as well as the in vitro cytotoxicity, morphological changes, real-time PCR and immunocytochemical investigation for apoptosis-related markers, in addition, to flow cytometric cell cycle distribution analysis were done. </P><P> Results: The major constituents of both essential oils were anethole (55.33 %) and estragole (11.57 %) for fennel essential oil. However, cintronellol (34.40 %) and geraniol (8.67 %) were identified in geranium oil. The results revealed an IC50 of 220&#177;5.7 and 60&#177;2.1&#181;g/ml for fennel and geranium oils, respectively. The mechanistic anticancer properties were investigated throughout the 70, 50, and 25&#181;g/ml of oils mixture. The marked apoptotic morphology and the flow cytometric cell cycle distribution analysis in addition to the levels of apoptosisrelated makers such as p53, caspase-3, mir-21, mir-92a, Bcl-2, and ki-67 confirmed that fennel and geranium oils combination induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, the oils mixture did not exert any significant (P<0.01) toxicity on normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes in vitro. </P><P> Conclusion: The findings showed that the mixture of oils exerted selective cytotoxicity towards MCF-7 cells through induction of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis which may be triggered by the synergistic effect between the active ingredients of fennel and geranium oils.</P>

Keywords:

Fennel, geranium, anticancer, MCF-7, apoptosis, GC-MS.

Affiliation:

Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Benha University, Benha, Department of Biochemistry, Batterjee Medical College for Science and Technology, Jeddah

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