Chemical Analysis and Cytotoxic and Cytostatic Effects of Twelve Honey Samples Collected from Different Regions in Morocco and Palestine

Abstract

The aim of this in vitro study is to characterize the phenolic compounds of twelve honey samples collected from different locations in Palestine (H1-6) and Morocco (H7-12) and to evaluate their cytotoxic and cytostatic effects in cells from the human colorectal carcinoma cell line HCT-116 and breast cancer cell line MCF-7. Quantitative HPLC analysis revealed nine phenolic compounds in three Moroccan honey samples, namely, syringic acid, tannic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, coumaric acid, gallic acid, rosmarinic acid, epicatechin, and pyrogallol. Syringic acid, abundant in numerous types of honey with strong antioxidant capacities, was present at values ranging between 0.10 mg/100 g and 1.24 mg/100 g of Daghmos (H11) and Kabbar (H10) samples, respectively. No significant reductions in cell viability were observed in both cell lines treated with the Palestinian samples as measured with MTT assay. Significant cytostatic effects were after treatment of HCT cells with Morar honey H1 with IC50 of 1789 μg/ml. Three Moroccan samples, H7 (Zaâtar), H9 (Bochnikha), and H10 (Kabbar), showed slight, but significant cytostatic effects in HCT cells. A strong correlation was observed between cytostatic activity of MCF cells and antioxidant content (phenols, flavonoids, and flavonol). Furthermore, a strong negative correlation was detected between the cytostatic activity in HCT cells and the contents of syringic acid (r= -0.756) and tannic acid (r= -0.610). These results indicate that the traditionally known anticancer effects of honey might be mediated in part through cytostatic effects.

The Influence of In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion on the Anticancer Activity of Manuka Honey

“…Lower results were obtained with Strawberry tree honey, which showed an IC 50 of HCT-116 equal to 13.34 mg/mL at 24 h, 9.48 mg/mL at 48 h and 8.76 mg/mL at 72 h [34]. Even more inferior were the results obtained by Imtara et al, which achieved IC 50 values around 2 mg/mL with different types of honey from Morocco and from Palestine after 72 h of treatment of HCT-116 [35]. These differences are mostly due to the different compositions of the different types of honey.…”

In VitroEvaluation of the Potential Use of Propolis as a Multitarget Therapeutic Product: Physicochemical Properties, Chemical Composition, and Immunomodulatory, Antibacterial, and Anticancer Properties

“…Furthermore, a strong negative correlation was detected between the cytostatic activity in HCT cells and the contents of syringic acid and tannic acid. ese results indicate that the traditionally known anticancer effects of honey might be mediated in part through cytostatic effects [38]. Another study investigated the anticancer effects of Indian ethanolic extract of propolis on four different cancer cell lines and demonstrated lower cytotoxicity effect of PNM evaluated by MTT assay (i.e., 250 g/mL) as compared to reported value [57,58], which can be attributed to its different geographical origin.…”

“…en, cell viability was measured using the MTT assay. Cell viability was defined as the ratio (expressed as a percentage) of absorbance of treated cells to untreated cells (control) [38].…”

Synthesis and cytotoxic effects on HeLa cervical cancer cells of (E)-2-aroyl-4-(4-fluorobenzylidene)-5-oxopyrrolidine

“…Cell proliferation was assessed using the MTT method. 17 The evaluation of cell population growth is based on the capability of living cells to reduce the yellow product MTT to a blue product, formazan, by a reduction reaction occurring in the mitochondria. Cervical carcinoma cell line HeLa was cultured in Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle Medium (DMEM) which contained 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS, Gibco, USA).…”