Exploring Anticancer Potential of Anethum graveolens: Effects on Apoptosis and HER2 Expression in Human Gastric Adenocarcinoma

Authors

  • Neda Ahmad Nejad Ahranjani Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Nabi Akram University, Tabriz, Iran
  • Maryam Farghadan Human and Animal Cell Bank, Iranian Biological Resource Center (IBRC), ACECR, Tehran, Iran
  • Mehrnoosh Pashaei Department of Research Development and Coordination, Deputy for Research and Technology, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
  • Sepideh Ashouri Movassagh Human and Animal Cell Bank, Iranian Biological Resource Center (IBRC), ACECR, Tehran, Iran
  • Seyed Abolhassan Shahzadeh Fazeli Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18502/ijaai.v25i6.22658

Keywords:

Anethum graveolens; Apoptosis; Cell line, Gastric cancer; Plant extracts; Tumor

Abstract

Gastric cancer is among the most prevalent malignancies worldwide, with a poor prognosis in advanced stages. Overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, also known as ERBB2) and heat shock protein 90 alpha (HSP90AA1, also known as HSP90α) has been associated with tumor progression. Anethum graveolens, a medicinal plant from the Apiaceae family, has demonstrated anticancer properties in previous studies. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of A graveolens methanolic extract on apoptosis and the expression of HER2, HSP90α, tumor protein p53 (TP53), and caspase-3 genes in the human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line (AGS).

A methanolic extract of the aerial parts of A graveolens was prepared. Cytotoxicity was assessed in AGS and human gingival fibroblast (HUGU) cell lines using the -(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Gene expression was measured by real-time PCR, and apoptosis was evaluated using Annexin V/propidium iodide (PI) staining followed by flow cytometry.

The methanolic extract exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity, with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 1280 μg/mL in AGS cells. Gene expression analysis revealed significant downregulation of HER2 and upregulation of HSP90α, TP53, and caspase-3 in treated AGS cells compared to controls. Apoptosis rates were significantly higher in treated AGS cells, confirming the proapoptotic effect of the extract. A graveolens exerts cytotoxic and proapoptotic effects in AGS cells and modulates key genes involved in gastric cancer progression.

These findings suggest its potential as a natural therapeutic candidate for gastric cancer, warranting further preclinical and clinical investigations.

Published

2026-09-15

Issue

Volume (25) issue (6)

Section

Articles