cytotoxic effect of luteolin on human colorectal cancer cell line (hct-15): crucial involvement of reactive oxygen species

background : colorectal cancer, a major health concern worldwide, is the third most common form of cancer and second leading cause of cancer-related deaths. the flavonoids are naturally occurring diphenylpropanoids ubiquitous in plant foods and important components of the human diet. luteolin, a bioflavonoid, possesses many beneficial effects including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic activities. methods :we used the hct-15 colon adenocarcinoma cell line in this study. cells were treated with luteolin (100 µm). results : membrane damage markers such as alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase were analyzed in a time-dependent manner. luteolin increased reactive oxygen species in a time-dependent manner. dna damage, a hallmark of apoptosis, was induced by luteolin as analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. conclusion : luteolin acts as a potential cytotoxic agent that can be used to treat colorectal cancer.