Biological Effects of the Aqueous Extract of Bridelia grandis Stem Bark on Normal and Neoplastic Human Cells: An In Vitro Preliminary Evaluation

• Published in: Phytotherapy research Vol. 28; no. 6; pp. 836 - 840
• Main Authors: Capelli, Enrica, Ngueyem, Tatiana, Lanza, Enrica, Bertone, Vittorio, Barni, Sergio
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England J. Wiley 01.06.2014; Blackwell Publishing Ltd; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc
• Subjects: antiproliferative effect; Apoptosis - drug effects; bark; Bridelia; Bridelia grandis; cell death; cytoplasmic inclusions; dark cells; electron microscopy; HeLa Cells; Humans; Magnoliopsida - chemistry; mitochondria; Mitotic Index; monocytes; Monocytes - drug effects; Monocytes - ultrastructure; Plant Bark - chemistry; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; subcellular alterations; vacuoles; water extract; Bridelia grandis; monocytes; HeLa cells; subcellular alterations; antiproliferative effect; dark cells; water extract
• ISSN: 0951-418X; 1099-1573
• DOI: 10.1002/ptr.5051

The aim of the work is to investigate the effects of Bridelia grandis (Pierre ex Hutch) stem bark water extract on human HeLa cancer cells and normal monocytes treated in vitro, evaluating the morphological modifications with light and electron microscopy. The phytocomplex obtained from B. grandis caused a significant decrease in the mitotic index of both HeLa cancer cells and normal monocytes. In addition, a reduction of the typical aneuploid‐polyploid pattern has been observed in HeLa cells after treatment. Various alterations at fine structural level, both in neoplastic (HeLa cells) and normal (monocytes) cells have been observed. In particular, electron‐dense cells containing condensed mitochondria, autophagic vacuoles and dense spherical cytoplasmic inclusions have been observed. The results show that B. grandis water extracts have an antiproliferative effect on human cells, with a different effect on neoplastic and normal cells. The antiproliferative effect is accompanied by the appearance of various subcellular alterations. The morphological alterations observed are likely to represent the condition of ‘dark cell’ as a possible preliminary phase towards the autophagic and/or apoptotic cell death. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.