Cytotoxic activity of Pinus cembra L. needle extract: A preliminary study on HeLa cell line

The aim of this study was to investigate the cytotoxic effects of a hydromethanolic extract obtained from cembran pine needles in HeLa cell line. In this respect, the effects of needle extract on protein synthesis, viability, proliferation and cell cycle in HeLa cells were evaluated after 48 h treatment. Cembran pine needle extract dose-dependently decreased protein synthesis in HeLa cells causing 44.26% reduction in protein synthesis at 100µg/ml. At 25, 50 and 100µg/ml, it increased cell death in comparison with the control (20.99%, 21.49% and 23.63%, respectively vs. 9.83%). In addition, at 100µg/ml, cembran pine needle extract showed a remarkable antiproliferative effect whereas at 25 and 50µg/ml, it induced sub-G1 phase cells accumulation (11.68 ± 0.81% and 14.69 ± 0.56%, respectively in comparison with control, 6.03 ± 0.55%), an indicator of proapoptotic effects. Taken together, these results indicate that cembran pine needles are a source of compounds with antitumor potential which needs to be further investigated and exploited.