The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of in vitro anticancer and cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extracts of 14 medicinal plants, 8 of which are endemic species in Anatolia, against the human HeLa cervical cancer cell line and to compare to the normal African green monkey kidney epithelial cell line (Vero) using the MTT colorimetric assay. Values for cytotoxicity measured by MTT assay were expressed as the concentration that causes 50% decrease in cell viability (IC₅₀, μg/mL). The degree of selectivity of the compounds can be expressed by its selectivity index (SI) value. High SI value (>2) of a compound gives the selective toxicity against cancer cells (SI = IC₅₀ normal cell/IC₅₀ cancer cell). Dose-dependent studies revealed IC₅₀ of 293 mg/mL and >1000 mg/mL for Cotinus coggygria Scop., IC₅₀ of 265 μg/mL and >1000 mg/mL for Rosa damascena Miller, IC₅₀ of 2 μg/mL and 454 mg/mL for Colchicum sanguicolle K.M. Perss, IC₅₀ of 427 μg/mL and >1000 μg/mL for Centaurea antiochia Boiss. var. praealta (Boiss & Bal) Wagenitz on the HeLa cells and the Vero cells, respectively. Four plants showed significant SI values which were 227 for Colchicum sanguicolle K.M. Perss (endemic species), >3.8 for Rosa damascena Miller, >3.4 for Cotinus coggygria Scop. and >2.3 for Centaurea antiochia Boiss. var. praealta (Boiss & Bal) Wagenitz (endemic species). According to our study, 4 methanolic extracts of 14 tested plants exhibit greater activity on the HeLa cell line and little activity on the Vero cell line, meaning that these plants can be evaluated for potential promising anticancer activity.

Herbal medicine has been used historically for anticancer effect and potent antiproliferative effects on different cancer cell lines. Prostate cancer has become the most common malignancy and the second highest cause of cancer death Western world. The antioxidant, antidepressant and antimicrobial effect of Viscum album, Inula viscosa, Hypericum perforatum, Lysimachia nummularia, Oleocanthal, Pinus pinaster and Rubus caeisus on cancer cell lines. In this study, we investigated whether these seven plants show any anticancer properties on prostat cancer cell line. Du145 cancer cells and human adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cell were assessed for seven medical plants in culture with different doses. Firstly, the cytotoxicity rate (IC50) determined by MTT and then immunocytochemical procedure were done for oxidative stress (eNOS), angiogenesis (VEGF) and TUNEL method for apoptosis. The stainings were evaluated by H-score. According to the results, Inula viscosa and Rubus caeisus have a higher improvement effect than the other medicinal plants. And these plants were not toxic for adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells. These plants caused the inhibition of cell proliferation and apoptosis in prostat cancer cells. Our results indicated that these plants may be potential agents in prostat cancer treatment.

Nowadays, interest in studies of traditional medicine in the world has gradually increased due to its potential to complement modern medicine, there are many phoytotherapautic plants that are used for the herbal medicine. Neuroblastoma (NB), is an embryonal tumor of the sympathetic nervous system, accounts for 15% of pediatric cancer deaths. In this study, we investigated to effect of several plants such as Viscum album, Inula viscosa, Hypericum perforatum, Lysimachia nummularia, Pinus pinaster and Rubus caeisus, Oleocanthal, is popular for the antioxidant, anticancer, antimicrobial features on the mouse neuroblastoma cell line Na2B. The effects of plants on the Na2B cell lines and mesenchymal stem cell. Viability of the cells were investigated via MTT assay for IC50 level. eNOS and VEGF immunohistochemical staining were done to show the oxidative stress and angiogenesis respectively. Also TUNNEL assay were done for the apoptosis. The best results were taken from the Inulo viscosa and Rubus caeisus. These plants showed the greater eNOS expression and the lower VEGF expression and TUNNEL staining. Moreover these plants were not toxic for the mesenchymal stem cell. Our results showed that the effect of especially Inulo viscosa and Rubus caeisus have potential effect for cancer treatment.

Medicinal herbs are being increasingly recognized as useful complementary treatments for cancer. Colon cancer is the third most common cancer in men and the second in women worldwide. Colon cancer diseases is very heterogeneous in terms of grade, genetics, ploidy, and oncogene/tumor suppress or gene expression and its biological, hormonal, and molecular characteristics are extremely complex. In this study our aim was to identify the effect of different medical plants Viscum album, Inula viscosa, Hypericum perforatum, Lysimachia nummularia, Oleocanthal, Pinus pinaster and Rubus caeisus on colon cancer cell line. Colo320 cancer cells and human adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cell were analysed for four medical plants in culture. Firstly, the cytotoxicity rate (IC50) determined by MTT. After that, immunocytochemical staining were done eNOS, VEGF and TUNEL method for apoptosis. The stainings were evaluated by H-score. As a result, Inula viscosa and Rubus caeisus have a higher inhibitory effect on cell proliferation and apoptosis in both cancers than the other medicinal plants. Colo320 cancer cells expressed strong eNOS by these plants and also both plants were not toxic for adipose tissue derived mesenchymal stem cells.

Plant kingdom still has an important potential for cancer treatment as natural source of numerous active small molecules with various pharmacological properties. The aim of this study was to firstly investigate in vitro cytotoxic activities rhizome and stem extracts of Dioscorea communis (L.) Caddick & Wilkin (named “Sarmaşık” locally) collected in Turkey. The cytotoxic and genotoxic effects at different concentrations (50–500 µg/mL) of each extract was determined using WST-1 proliferation and Comet assay against hepatocellular carcinoma (HepG2 and SNU-449) cell lines compared with HUVEC cells. The morphological changes of these cells treated with D. communis extracts was screened by acridine orange/ethidium bromide staining. We found that the petroleum ether rhizome extracts showed higher cytotoxic and genotoxic activity than stem extracts to all cell lines in a dose and time dependent manner (p < 0.05). These extracts induced apoptosis and DNA damage at 500 µg/mL after 72 h exposure. However, these extracts exhibited significant cytotoxic, genotoxic and apoptotic damage against HUVEC cells. As a result, our data suggest that the active chemical constituent(s) in different part of plants and their mechanisms of inducing apoptosis and DNA damage should be determined in further investigations by in vitro studies compared with control cells.

Field-effect EIS (electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor) sensors modified with a positively charged weak polyelectrolyte layer have been applied for the electrical detection of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) immobilization and hybridization by the intrinsic molecular charge.