Impact of Iranian Viola Odorata Extract on the Malignant Traits of Colorectal Cancer Cells

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Plant Branch, Sabzevar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar, Iran

2 Department of Cellular Biotechnology at Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute of Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran

3 Legal Medicine Research Center, Legal Medicine Organization, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Sabzevar Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sabzevar, Iran

5 Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

6 Department of Animal Biotechnology, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran

7 Department of Biology, Hakim sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran

Abstract

Background: Cancer, particularly colorectal cancer, is a growing global public health issue with a significant impact on individuals aged fifty and older. Viola odorata, a traditional herbal remedy, has been investigated for its potential anti-cancer effects, particularly in inhibiting the metastasis of certain cancer cell types.
 
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the effects of Viola odorata extract on the malignant characteristics of colorectal cancer cell lines HT-29 and HCT-116.
 
Methods: Samples of Viola odorata were collected from five different geographical locations in Iran. The chemical composition of the extracts was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and the concentration of polyphenols and flavonoids was determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The hydro-alcoholic extract was then used to treat HT-29 and HCT-116 colorectal cancer cell lines. Apoptosis, migration, colony formation, and cell viability were assessed and compared.
 
Results: Treatment with Viola odorata extract induced apoptosis in both HT-29 and HCT-116 cell lines. The extract also significantly reduced cell migration and colony formation. Cell viability was markedly decreased, with HCT-116 cells showing greater sensitivity to the extract than HT-29 cells.
 
Conclusion: Viola odorata extract demonstrated anti-cancer activity against colorectal cancer cell lines, with a more pronounced effect in HCT-116 cells. These findings suggest that Viola odorata may be a promising therapeutic agent for targeting colorectal cancer cells, especially at higher concentrations, and its efficacy appears to be cell-dependent.

Keywords

Acknowledgements: We would like to express our gratitude to our great colleague, Mr. Abbas Kiani Esfahani, for his technical assistance with flow cytometry.

 

Availability of data and materials: Raw data and materials are available upon request.

 

Conflicts of interests: No conflict of interest.

 

Consent for publication: Not applicable.

 

Ethics approval and consent to participate: The permission to use cancer cell lines based on the standard protocols was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Royan Institute (ethics code: IR.ACECR.ROYAN.REC), The study was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki.

 

Financial disclosure: No funding information.

 

Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the research, writing, and revision of this manuscript.

 

Abbreviations: Bcl-2, B-cell lymphoma 2; CRC, Colorectal cancer; DMEM, Dulbecco’s modified Eagle’s medium; EDTA, Ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid; FBS, Fetal bovine serum; FTIR,  Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy; Gβδ, G beta-gamma complex; JAM-A, Junctional adhesion molecule-A; HPLC, High-performance liquid chromatography; IC50, 50% Inhibitory concentration; LMTAG, Low melting temperature agarose gel; MMP, Matrix metalloproteinases; NF-κB, Nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells; PARP, poly ADP ribose polymerase, p27KIP1, p27 cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1; p21WAF1, p21 wild-type p53-activated fragment.

 

Open Access Policy: This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

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