Evaluation of cytotoxicity and apoptotic effects of Catharanthus roseus on the human lung cancer cell lines CaLu-6

Abstract

Abstract Background Lung cancer is ranked as the fourth global important cause of cancer related deaths. Despite remarkable advances in drug design, the pharmaceutical industry grapples with significant scientific and financial challenges. While recent strides have been made in the development of chemically synthesized pharmaceutical drugs, nature continues to serve as a primary source of bioactive compounds. The synthesis and assessment of natural herbal remedies have been a focal point of cancer therapy research for many years. The synthesis and evaluation of natural herbal remedies have been a primary research for many years in cancer therapy and the obtained results support the continuous development of novel plant-derived products, mainly because natural herbal remedies have several benefits compared to traditional chemical pharmaceuticals. Methods This study aims to evaluate the potential cytotoxicity of Catharanthus roseus methanolic extract on Human Lung Cancer Cell Lines (CaLu-6). The evaluation was performed using apoptotic and membrane depolarization assays. In addition, the real time gene expression was used for assessing the levels of mRNA. Results The results demonstrated the possible and positive anticancerous activity of Catharanthus roseus methanolic extract compared to the positive control (p<0.05). Conclusions Our results support the ongoing exploration of novel plant-derived products for cancer therapy, emphasizing the benefits offered by natural herbal remedies over traditional chemical pharmaceuticals. Further research in this direction could lead to the development of more effective and less toxic treatments for lung cancer.