Background:: Vitamin C (VC) is believed to enhance immunity and is regularly integrated as a supplementary agent during several treatments. Objective:: The green (GC) and roasted (RC) coffee (Coffea arabica) aqueous extracts (0, 125, 250 and 500 μg/ml) combined with VC (50 μg/ml) were examined on the cancerous MCF-7 cell line and normal human lymphocytes. Methods:: Neutral red uptake assay, comet assay, immunocytochemical reactivity for protein expression and mRNA expression of apoptosis-related genes were performed. Results:: A significant (P< 0.05) concentration-dependent increase of apoptotic features, such as morphological changes, and abundant nuclear condensation, altered the expression of p53 and caspase-3 mRNA, down-regulation of Bcl-2 protein as well as the acidic autophagosomal vacuolization in treated cells. The oxidative stress and DNA single-strand breaks were noticed too. Conclusion:: These results suggest that coffee in combination with VC undergoes apoptotic anticancer pathway. This supports the integration of coffee and VC as a valuable candidate for anticancer research and treatments.

Coffee is a popular drink; it is one of the most commercialized food products and a rich source of biologically active compounds that are important for human health. This study aimed to prove the anticancer activity of green coffee (GC) and roasted coffee (RC) bean aqueous extracts (Coffea arabica) on breast cancer adenocarcinoma cell line (MCF-7) and the safety of both extracts on normal human peripheral blood lymphocytes culture (HPBL). Total phenolic content for GC and RC extracts was measured and result of both extracts were (0.308±0.016 & 0.233±0.013mg/g) respectively. The phenolic acids were screened by HPLC at the wavelength of 254& 278 and 300 nm and 5-caffeoylquinic acids (Chlorogenic acid), the predominant form of phenolic acids, was identified in GC and RC samples. Ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) as well as the free radical scavenging activity (DPPH) proved the antioxidant properties of both extracts. The DPPH IC50 mean values of GC and RC extracts were (2.4±0.08, 2.3±0.16 μg/ml) respectively. Cytotoxicity of both extracts on MCF-7 cells were evaluated by neutral red uptake assay which showed the IC50 mean values (377±5.7,500±8.1 μg/ml) for GC and RC extracts respectively. The safety of both extracts (0, 125, 250, 500 μg/ml) on HPBL was evaluated in vitro using trypan blue exclusion method and DNA single strand breaks (alkaline comet assay). Result revealed non-significant cytotoxic difference (P<0.001) between cultures especially at lower doses of GC and RC extracts except the highest dose of BC and GC extract which showed slightly significant damage (P<0.001). In conclusion, this study proved that GC and RC aqueous extracts were found to be selectively cytotoxic in vitro to cancerous cells (MCF-7 cell line) causing cell death with no cytotoxicity on normal human lymphocytes especially at lower doses.

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The present work studied the cytogenetic and testicular damage induced by the antiarrhythmic drug rytmonorm (RT) and the protective role of grapefruit juice in albino rats. Treating rats with RT (13.5mg/Kg bodyweight) for five weeks caused a significant increase in the percentage of chromosomal aberrations either structural or numerical and decrease the mitotic index. Using comet assays, RT caused DNA fragmentation in the lymphocytes. Testis of RT treated rats showed many histopathological and morphometric alterations. In addition, the number of sperm head abnormalities was increased. Treating animals with RT and grapefruit juice (27ml/Kg bodyweight) led to an improvement in chromosomal aberrations, mitotic index, DNA damage, and testicular alterations caused by RT. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that grapefruit juice showed a protective effect on cytotoxicty and testicular alterations induced by RT in albino rats and this is may be due to its potent antioxidant effects.

Chlorambucil (CLB) is a bifunctional alkylating drug widely used as an anticancer agent and immunosuppressant. CLB mutagenicity, teratogenicity, and carcinogenicity are indicated based on their structure and clinical history. This study aims to evaluate the antigenotoxic effect of Cymbopogon citratus essential oil, CC, (75 mg/kg) against CLB (7.5 mg/kg) genotoxicity in rats. GC/MS for essential oil has identified 19 compounds representing approximately 99.7% Geranial was the most abundant (53.5%) followed by Neral (35%) and Myrcene (5.3%). The lowest was α-Muurolene (0. 1%). The marked damage was observed in total genomic DNA and total protein profile of CLB-intoxicated rat's spleen tissues. Lymphocytes single-strand breaks of treated rats were examined by comet assay after CC had ameliorated these effects in a time-dependent manner (5, 10, and 15 days) for spleen and after 48 hours for lymphocytes. In conclusion, this study suggests that Cymbopogon citrates oil possesses antigenotoxic potential in CLBintoxicated rats. It can constitute natural, new, and safe co-therapeutics.