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In vitro evaluation of p-coumaric acid and naringin combination in human epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431)

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Abstract

Cancer is considered most detrimental due to high mortality worldwide. Among them, skin cancers play a major part by affecting one in three cancer patients globally. About 2–3 million cancer cases were reported to be non-melanoma and melanoma skin cancers, respectively. Although chemotherapeutic drugs act on cancer cells but results in long-lasting morbidities which affects one’s quality of life and also works only in the initial stage of the cancer. Hence, an idea of traditional medicine to cure the disease efficiently with less side effects was pursued by the researchers. We have assessed the combination effect of p-coumaric acid and naringin in exerting anticancer activity using A431 (epidermoid carcinoma) cells. The MTT analysis of the combination on A431 cells showed the least IC50 concentration of 41 µg/ml which is effective than the standard drug imiquimod with IC50 concentration of 52 µg/ml. Further, flow cytometric analysis was carried out to identify the molecular mechanism behind the anticancer effects of the combination. The results revealed that the combination arrested the A431 cell cycle at S phase, induced apoptosis as indicated by more early and late apoptotic cells when compared with the control, and further altered reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mitochondrial membrane potential in A431 cells. Hence, the results suggest the potential anticancer effects of p-coumaric acid and naringin combination against the skin cancer (A431) cell line. The observed effects may be additive or synergistic effects in inducing ROS generation and apoptosis, and reducing the viability of A431 cells.

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Data availability

The data will be made available upon reasonable request from the corresponding author.

Abbreviations

SSC:

Squamous Cell Carcinoma

BCC:

Basal Cell Carcinoma

ROS:

Reactive Oxygen Species

MMP:

Mitochondrial Membrane Potential

Drp1:

Dynamin-Related Protein

ING1:

Inhibitor of Growth

ICAD:

Inhibitor of Caspase-Activated DNAse

CAD:

Caspase-Activated DNAse

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the President, CEO, Vice-Chancellor, Registrar KAHE for providing b infrastructure and encouragement exercise this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biochemistry, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Deemed to be University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 32, India

    Pradeep Velusamy, Sridhar Muthusami & Ramakrishnan Arumugam

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Velusamy, P., Muthusami, S. & Arumugam, R. In vitro evaluation of p-coumaric acid and naringin combination in human epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431). Med Oncol 41, 4 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-023-02230-3

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