Preliminary Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Potential of North-West Romanian Propolis
Preliminary Evaluation of the Cytotoxic Potential of North-West Romanian Propolis
The propolis broad spectrum
of therapeutic properties is documented by the literature1. Development
of propolis based products requires a comprehensive evaluation of both
efficacy and safety2. This research was aimed to evaluate the in vitro potential toxicity of
North-West Romanian propolis ethanolic extracts previously studied for
antimicrobial properties3. The cytotoxic potential was
investigated considering propolis biocompatibility on human fibroblasts cell
culture (cell line HFL-1) using the
3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay and
evaluating the cell morphology and attachment level. The MTT results
expressed as optic density were further used to calculate the viability
percentages by dividing the absorbance reading of cells under different
propolis concentrations by the absorbance reading of cells under normal
growth. The differences between values were analyzed using ANOVA post hoc,
followed by Dunnett test (against the control) or by Bonferroni test (against
different dilutions). Propolis samples were also characterized using
spectrophotometric assays for the quantitative determination of flavonoids
(flavones/flavonols, flavanones/dihydroflavonols) and total phenolics (Folin
Ciocalteu method).While the spectrophotometric methods indicated the typical
poplar composition profile with flavonoids and phenolic acids as main
biological active compounds (total phenolics of 38.02% ±2.34%, high amounts
of total flavonoids 9±0.3%, with 1.74-9.22% flavones/flavonols and 1.96-4.01%
flavanones/dihydroflavonols), MTT test data suggested concentration
dependence of propolis-induced effect. The highest dilutions stimulated cell
viability (125-131.58%) and did not significantly impact the cell morphology
and attachment levels, while the highest tested concentrations had moderate
expressed cytotoxicity. Further in
vitro and in vivo studies are
intended to complete the cytotoxicity profile of the
tested propolis samples.
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- 1. Dantas Silva RP, Machado BA, Barreto GA, Costa SS, Andrade LN, Amaral RG, Carvalho AA, Padilha FF, Barbosa JD, Umsza-Guez MA (2017) Antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiparasitic, and cytotoxic properties of various Brazilian propolis extracts. PLoS One 12(3): e0172585.
- 2. Campos JF, dos Santos UP, Macorini LF, de Melo AM, Balestieri JB, Paredes-Gamero EJ, Cardoso CA, de Picoli Souza K, dos Santos EL (2014) Antimicrobial, antioxidant and cytotoxic activities of propolis from Melipona orbignyi (Hymenoptera, Apidae).Food Chem Toxicol.65: 374-80.
- 3.Niculae M, Stan L, Pall E, Paștiu AI, Balaci IM, Muste S, Spînu M (2015) In vitro synergistic antimicrobial activity of Romanian propolis and antibiotics against Escherichia coli isolated from bovine mastitis. Notulae Botanicae, Horti Agrobotanici. 43(2): 327-334.