Anticancer potential of Moringa oleifera flower extract in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells via induction of apoptosis and downregulation of AKT pathway

Background: Moringa oleifera (MO), or the horseradish tree, is a pantropical species that is known by such regional names as benzolive, drumstick tree, kelor, marango, mlonge, mulangay, nébéday, saijhan, and sajna. Over the past two decades, many reports have appeared in mainstream scientific journals describing its anticancer properties of MO. While much of this recent enthusiasm indeed appears to be justified, it is critical to evaluate therapeutic activity of MO on prostate cancer to separate rigorous scientific evidence from anecdote. MO contained active polyphenols such as ellagic acid, gallate, methyl gallate, catechol, kaempferol quercetin, and their derivatives. Objective: It is the purpose of this series of brief reviews to critically assess the efficacy of MO flower extract as an antiprostate cancer agent. Materials and Methods: The cell viability of the extract was determined using MTT in different time point and cell cycle progression studies was analyzed by flow cytometry. Various markers of apoptosis were evaluated by immunoblotting. Results: We observed that prostate cancer cells treated with MO flower extract caused 50% inhibition at a dose of 22.61 μg/mL and 6.25 μg/mL in PC-3 cells at 24 and 48 h, respectively. MO flower extract induced the accumulation of G1 phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis by annexin V staining. Further, immunoblot detection of PARP cleavage leads to increase the protein expression of caspase-3 activity and Bax indicates induction of apoptosis. Conclusion: Together, the results suggest for the first time that administration of MO flower extract inhibits prostate cancer progression in PC-3 cells by interfering AKT pathway.