Apigenin and Carbenoxolone Co-Treatment Induces Potent Cytotoxicity in CAL-27 Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Morphological and Dose-Response Study
Combined Anticancer Effects of Apigenin and Carbenoxolone
Keywords:
Apigenin, Carbenoxolone, Cytotoxicity, Combination therapy, Cytology, Oral squamous cell carcinomaAbstract
Background: Oral squamous cell carcinoma is a major health burden across the globe due to its widespread incidence, limited effective therapeutics, and high recurrence rates. Natural and synthetic compounds such as Apigenin (API) and Carbenoxolone (CBX) have shown significant antitumor potential against various cancer types. The current study aimed to evaluate the anti-proliferative potential of API and CBX, alone or in combination in the CAL-27 oral cancer cell line.
Methods: MTT assay was used to analyze the cytotoxic potential of API, CBX, and their combination in the CAL-27 cell line. Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy was performed to identify alterations in cellular morphology after treatment.
Results: The half maximal inhibitory concentrations for API and CBX were calculated as 50 µM and 200 µM respectively. Significantly greater inhibition of 86.37% (p-value <0.001) was observed after combination treatment in the CAL-27 cell line. Microscopic examination revealed cell death, cell shrinkage and detachment, and membrane damage in combination-treated cells compared with control and single agent treatment groups.
Conclusion: Treatment with API and CBX exhibited decreased cell viability, and their combination further increased antiproliferative effects in CAL-27 cells, suggesting that these compounds in combination are potential candidates for anticancer therapy in OSCC.
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