Abstract
Background and Objective: Medicinal plant species represent a large source of new compounds that help for the preparation of new drugs. In this research was evaluated the cytotoxic activity of leaves and fruits extract of Juniperus procera, commonly used in folk medicine in Saudi Arabia against Carcinoma colon (Caco2) cell lines. Materials and Methods: Caco2 cell lines were exposed to different concentrations of leaves and fruits extract of J. procera with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs). The MTT assay was used to determine the cytotoxic effect of all treatments. Morphology of Caco2 cell lines was monitored using an inverted microscope. Nuclei of Caco2 cell lines was counted using hemocytometer chamber. The DNA fragmentation of Caco2 cell lines was separated electrophoretically on a 2% agarose gel containing 1 mu g mL(-1) ethidium bromide and visualized under ultraviolet transillumination. Results: Toxicity percentage of leaves and fruits extracts of J. procera against Caco2 cells was dose dependent, with the concentrations. Fruits extract was more effective (IC50 8.80 mu g mL(-1)) than leaves (IC(50)11.44 mu g mL(-1)). Mixing IC50 of AgNPs (47.32 ppm) with IC50 of leaves or IC50 of fruits showed strong positive anti-cancer activity where the toxicity reached to 65.39 and 74.44%, respectively. Number of nuclei in treated cell decreasing with increasing extract concentration and not detected at high concentration of leaves (500 mu g mL(-1)) and fruits extract (250 and 500 mu g mL(-1)). The DNA of treated cells with IC50 of fruit and leaves extract remained intact as in the controls and DNA smearing was not detected but DNA frag mentation was clear with IC50 of AgNPs treatment. Conclusion: Present investigation concluded that the obtained IC50 fruits or leaves J. procera extract against Caco2 cells meaning that the extracts have potential anti-cancer properties.