Zahra Tayarani-Najaran - Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Farideh-Sadat Makki - Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Nafiseh-Sadat Alamolhodaei - Department of Pharmacodynamics and Toxicology, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
Mahdi Mojarrab - Pharmaceutical Sciences Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
Seyed Ahmad Emami - Biotechnology Research Center, School of Pharmacy, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran

Objective(s): Artemisia is a genus of herbs and small shrubs forms an important part of natural vegetation in Iran. It has been reported that several Artemisia species possess anti-proliferative effects. Considering the value of this genus in anti-cancer researches we have chosen Artemisia biennis for cytotoxic and mechanistic studies. Materials and Methods:In this study we have investigated the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of petroleum ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, ethanol, and ethanol:water (۱:۱ v/v) extracts of A. biennis Willd. on two cancer human cell lines (K۵۶۲ and HL-۶۰) and J۷۷۴ as normal cells. Results: CH۲Cl۲ extract was found to have the highest anti-proliferative effect on cancer cells. IC۵۰ values obtained in AlamarBlue® assay for CH۲Cl۲ extract were ۶۴.۸۶ and ۵۴.۳۱ µg/ml on K۵۶۲ and HL-۶۰ cells respectively. In flow cytometry histogram of the cells treated with CH۲Cl۲ extract, sub-G۱ peak was induced. DNA fragmentation, increased in the level of Bax and cleavage of PARP protein all showed the induction of apoptosis with CH۲Cl۲ extract after ۴۸ hr contact with cells. Conclusion: The results can corroborate the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of the CH۲Cl۲ extract of A. biennis on the K۵۶۲ and HL-۶۰ cancer cell lines.

Artemisia biennis, Asteraceae, Apoptosis, Leukemic cell lines