EVALUATION OF CYTOTOXIC EFFECT OF MORINGA OLEIFERA LEAF EXTRACT ON HEAD AND NECK SQUAMOUS CELL CARCINOMA CELL LINE: AN IN VITRO STUDY

Haidy M. El-hussieny, Ehab S. Abd-El Hamid, Marwa M. Ellithy*, Shaimaa M. Masloub and Heba E. Tarek

ABSTRACT

Despite new advances in better diagnosing and treating HNSCC, yet, survival rates still remain unchanged relatively. Nowadays, natural resources as plants and trees are used to cure cancer. Moringa oleifera (MO), a plant used in clinical pharmacy, grows mainly in South Africa and Asia. It is useful in the treatment of various conditions including cancer. The present study was designed to evaluate the cytotoxic and apoptotic effect of moringa oleifera leaf extract (MOLE) on head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell line. Hep-2 cells were cultured in various concentrations (half IC50, IC50 and double IC50) for 24 hours. Cell viability was evaluated by MTT assay. Caspase 3 expression was measured using ELISA assay. In addition, Microscopic slides were prepared for each drug concentration and were photomicrographed and analyzed for the estimation of nuclear area factor. Results were compared to those of cisplatin, a well known chemotherapeutic agent. Both MOLE and cisplatin showed a concentration-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation of Hep-2 cells. The antiproliferative effect of MOLE and cisplatin was also associated with increase in caspase 3 expression as well as apoptotic morphological changes together with a decrease in the mean values of NAF which further indicates the presence of apoptosis in treated Hep-2 cells. So, MOLE had strong antiproliferative and apoptotic induction capability. M. oleifera leaf extracts may be used as a substitute of cancer chemoprevention.

Keywords: Moringa Oleifera Leaf Extract, Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, Cytotoxicity, Apoptosis, Cisplatin.