An In Vitro Study of Saffron Carotenoids: The Effect of Crocin Extracts and Dimethylcrocetin on Cancer Cell Lines

Crocus sativus L. has various pharmacological properties, known for over 3600 years. These properties are attributed mainly to biologically active substances, which belong to the terpenoid group and include crocins, picrocrocin and safranal. The aim of the current work was to examine the effects of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Antioxidants 2022-05, Vol.11 (6), p.1074
Main Authors: Hatziagapiou, Kyriaki, Nikola, Olti, Marka, Sofia, Koniari, Eleni, Kakouri, Eleni, Zografaki, Maria-Eleftheria, Mavrikou, Sophie S., Kanakis, Charalabos, Flemetakis, Emmanouil, Chrousos, George P., Kintzios, Spyridon, Lambrou, George I., Kanaka-Gantenbein, Christina, Tarantilis, Petros A.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Apoptosis
Bcl-2 protein
Biological activity
Cancer therapies
Carotenoids
Cell culture
Cell cycle
Cell growth
Cell survival
Chemotherapy
Clinical trials
crocins (CRCs)
Cytotoxicity
dimethylocrocetin (DMCRT)
Experiments
Gene expression
Glioblastoma
glioblastoma (GBM)
GSTM1 gene
GSTM1 protein
Herbal medicine
Metabolites
Rhabdomyosarcoma
saffron
Solvents
Spectrum analysis
Stigma
Superoxide dismutase
Tumor cell lines
Ultrasonic imaging
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Summary:Crocus sativus L. has various pharmacological properties, known for over 3600 years. These properties are attributed mainly to biologically active substances, which belong to the terpenoid group and include crocins, picrocrocin and safranal. The aim of the current work was to examine the effects of crocins (CRCs) and their methyl ester derivate dimethylcrocetin (DMCRT) on glioblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines, in terms of cytotoxicity and gene expression, implicated in proapoptotic and cell survival pathways. Cell cytotoxicity was assessed with Alamar Blue fluorescence assay after treatment with saffron carotenoids for 24, 48 and 72 h and concentrations ranging from 22.85 to 0.18 mg/mL for CRCs and 11.43 to 0.09 mg/mL for DMCRT. In addition, BAX, BID, BCL2, MYCN, SOD1, and GSTM1 gene expression was studied by qRT-PCR analysis. Both compounds demonstrated cytotoxic effects against glioblastoma and rhabdomyosarcoma cell lines, in a dose- and time-dependent manner. They induced apoptosis, via BAX and BID upregulation, MYCN and BCL-2, SOD1, GSTM1 downregulation. The current research denotes the possible anticancer properties of saffron carotenoids, which are considered safe phytochemicals, already tested in clinical trials for their health promoting properties.
ISSN:2076-3921
2076-3921
DOI:10.3390/antiox11061074