EFECTO CITOTÓXICO IN VITRO DE EXTRACTOS DE Tagetes erecta L. EN CÉLULAS HeLa

Abstract

Carotenoids are natural pigments that are associated with decreased risk of cancer and cardiovascular diseases due to its antioxidant capacity. Marigold (Tagetes erecta L.) is known for its high content of carotenoids, corresponding to lutein 80-90% in florets. Because there is no previous evidence of the activity of marigold extracts at cellular level, this study evaluated the extracts effect (cytotoxicity or cell proliferation) on HeLa cell line (cell line derived from cervical cancer: Henrietta Lacks). Extracts from ligule and callus of marigold were obtained, they were characterized by HPLC and different concentrations were tested over the cell line. Results show that HeLa cells exposed to different concentrations of ligule (25 and 6.25 μg /ml) and callus (25 and 12.5 μg /ml) extracts, cause morphological changes. Obtained results in annexin V tests indicated that used extracts as treatments, did not stimulate HeLa cells proliferation, suggesting that extracts have chemoprotective activity, inducing apoptosis in low percentage. With the work suggests that the activity of the pigments marigold, ligules and callus cultures of HeLa cells is protective chemical agent, because there was a low percentage of apoptosis, indicating that not being applied promote an inflammatory process, as would happen in case of necrosis, where the release of cell contents inflation causes the tissues. This work suggests that activity of marigold pigments, from ligule and callus cultures, over HeLa cells, is as protective chemical agent, because there were low percentage of apoptosis, indicating that when applied not promoted an inflammatory process, as would happen in case of necrosis, where the release of cell contents causes inflammation of tissues.