ANTICANCER ACTIVITY OF METHANOL FRUIT EXTRACT OF OPUNTIA FICUS INDICA AGAINST CERVICAL CANCER USING HELA CELL LINE

Abstract

Opuntia ficus-indica, commonly referred to as prickly pear is a dicotyledonous angiosperm plant. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activities of methanolic fruit extract of Opuntia ficus indica in cervical cancer (HeLa) cells. The effects of the methanolic fruit extract of Opuntia ficus indica on the cell growth and apoptosis in HeLa were analysed by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the level of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), DNA damage (Comet) and apoptotic morphological changes. The results indicated that the methanolic fruit extract of Opuntia ficus indica induce apoptosis as evident by loss of cell viability, enhanced ROS, alteration in mitochondrial membrane potential due to changes in lipid peroxidation, and increased DNA damage in HeLa cells. The results of the present study suggest that methanolic fruit extract of Opuntia ficus indica might be useful as a potential antitumor agent.