Cytotoxic Effects of Ethyl Acetate Extract of Sambucus ebulus Compared With Etoposide on Normal and Cancer Cell Lines

Sambucus ebulus is a native botany and exists in large amount in Iran and consists of anti-cancer substances such as ebulin (RIP-II, ribosome inactivated protein-II), flavonoids, etc. Isolation and identification of some potent anti-tumor compounds from medicinal plants, has motivated researchers to screen different parts of plant species for anti-tumor effects. In previous studies, anti-inflammatory effects of n-hexane and methanolic extracts of S. ebulus , nephro- and hepato-toxic effects of ethylacetate extract of this plant and evaluation of role of vitamins C and E on prevention of cellular and pathological disorders induced by the ethyl acetate extract was performed and reported. So, cytotoxic activity and IC₅₀ of specific concentrations of ethyl acetate extract of fruits of S.ebulus on 4 normal and cancer cell lines was studied. Also, Etoposide, a chemotherapeutic drug, was administered to control positive group. The normal cell lines were CHO and rat fibroblast and cancer cell lines were HepG2 and CT26. The cytotoxic effects and IC₅₀ of the extract on the cell lines were studied followed by MTT assay. The results showed that the ethyl acetate extract of Sambucus ebulus possesses lower IC₅₀ in the cancer cell lines in comparison with the normal cell lines. On the other hand, the extract possesses higher IC 50 in comparison with Etoposide on all 4 normal and cancer cell lines (P<0.05), but it manifested a good cytotoxic compound which can introduce as an anticancer compound.