Tualang honey induces apoptosis and disrupts the mitochondrial membrane potential of human breast and cervical cancer cell lines

• Published in: Food and chemical toxicology 2011-04, Vol.49 (4), p.871-878
• Main Authors: Fauzi, Agustine Nengsih, Norazmi, Mohd. Nor, Yaacob, Nik Soriani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Annexin V; antibodies; anticarcinogenic activity; antioxidants; Apoptosis; Biological and medical sciences; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer cell lines; Cell Line, Tumor; Cytotoxicity; epithelial cells; Female; Female genital diseases; flow cytometry; fluorescence; fluorescence microscopy; Fluorescent Antibody Technique; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Honey; Humans; Lactate dehydrogenase; Mammary gland diseases; Medical sciences; membrane potential; Membrane Potentials; mitochondrial membrane; neoplasm cells; phenols; propidium; toxicology; Tualang honey; Tumors; uterine cervical neoplasms; Uterine Cervical Neoplasms - pathology; vitamins
• ISSN: 0278-6915; 1873-6351
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fct.2010.12.010

Honey is reported to contain various compounds such as phenols, vitamins and antioxidants. The present study investigates the anticancer potential of Tualang honey (Agromas) (TH) in human breast (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) and cervical (HeLa) cancer cell lines; as well as in the normal breast epithelial cell line, MCF-10A. The cells were treated with increasing doses of TH (1–10%) for up to 72 h. Increase in lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage from the cell membranes indicates that TH is cytotoxic to all three cancer cells with effective concentrations (EC 50) of 2.4–2.8%. TH is however, not cytotoxic to the MCF-10A cells. Reactivity with annexin V fluorescence antibody and propidium iodide as analysed by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy shows that apoptosis occurred in these cancer cells. TH also reduced the mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψ m) in the cancer cell lines after 24 h of treatment. The activation of caspase-3/7 and -9 was observed in all TH-treated cancer cells indicating the involvement of mitochondrial apoptotic pathway. This study shows that TH has significant anticancer activity against human breast and cervical cancer cell lines.