Total alkaloids from Solanum Iyratum Thunb. inhibited hela cells proliferation through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest

The object of the present study was to investigate the anticancer properties of total alkaloids from Solanum lyratum Thunb (SLT-A), including the inhibitory effect of SLT-A on HeLa cells and the apoptosis-inducing capacity in vitro. In our study, cytotoxicity was measured by the growth inhibition assay and detection of apoptosis was performed by Hoechst33324 and Tdt-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) staining assays. The in vitro cytotoxic studies were complemented by the cell cycle analysis and determination caspase-3 activity. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay was applied on the expression of apoptosis-associated genes. The result showed that treatment of HeLa cells with SLT-A resulted in the growth inhibition effect, and the IC₅₀ value was approximately 82 µg/ml. SLTA (80 µg/ml) induced more cell apoptosis of HeLa cells and accumulated the cells in the G2/M phase compared with the control cells. On the other hand, the expression of p53 and Bax gene was increased in the cells treated with SLT-A (80 µg/ml), with an increase in the activity of caspase-3, while Bcl-2 expression was not changed compared to the control cells. Our results demonstrated that SLT-A presented antiproliferative activity in HeLa cells and might be a potential anticancer drug. Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aires