Cytotoxic effect of Berberis vulgaris fruit extract on the proliferation of human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) and its antioxidant properties

Normal biochemical processes in human body may produce free radicals. These free radicals can, in turn, lead to oxidative stress related disease. This study examined the antioxidant activity of Berberis vulgaris fruit extract and its cytotoxic effect on human liver cancer cell line (HepG2). The antioxidant activity of Berberis vulgaris Fruit Extract (BFE) was assay by β-carotene bleaching and 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay. The screening of cytotoxic effect was carried out by the microculture tetrazolium salt (MTT) assay on the human liver cancer cell line (HepG2). The BFE with concentration of 5-140 μg mL-1 was used. The control group cell was without any treatment. Intracellular Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity is determined by p-nitrophenyl phosphate. The concentration of 5 μg mL-1 was chosen for this test. In β-carotene bleaching, ascorbic acid showed the mean total antioxidant activity of 96.16±5.09%, f ollowed by BHT (66.71±2.52) and BFE (59.91±8.64). In DPPH, the EC 50 of ascorbic acid was 0.252±0.000 mg mL-1, BHT (0.612±0.009 mg mL-1) and BFE (0.685±0.033 mg mL-1). The IC 50 of BFE was found 106.0±10.1 μg mL-1. Beside reduction in cell proliferation the crude extract was capable of enhacing the intracellular protein content in cell cancer line by one fourth while intracellular alkaline phosphatase activity increased by 7 fold. The results showed that processed commercial Berberis vulgaris exhibited antioxidant properties, has the ability of reducing cell viability and may had the potential of enhancing the ALP activity probably through structural changes