Comparison of Toxic Effects of Glaucium Flavum Hydroalcoholic Extract on glioblastoma cell line (C118) and neuronal neurosphere (NCs)

Background and aim: Glioblastoma tumors are the most invasive brain tumors with the origin of neural tissue in the brain. Because of the low success rate of treatment for this type of tumor, the need for a search for new therapies is justified. Glacium flavum is widely used in the pharmaceutical industry due to its richness in alkaloids. In this study, the toxic effects of hydroalcoholic extract of Glacium flavum on glioblastoma cell line (C118) and neuronal neurosphere (NCs) were investigated. Methods: First, The extract of Glacium flavum has been distilled. Neuronal precursor cells from cortex of 17-day-old pregnant mouse fetus were extracted by enzymatic digestion. Then, at concentrations of 100, 300, 500 and 1000 µg/ml of Glacium flavum, the cells were treated at 24 and 72 hours intervals. After treatment, the viability of the cells was evaluated by MTT method and morphology of the cells by DAPI staining. Results: The experimented cells were morphologically modified after treatment with Ic50 concentration of Glacium flavum. The evaluation of cell viability by MTT showed that Glacium flavum significantly reduced the viability of C118 cells as well as neurosphere (NCs) in both 72 and 24 hours intervals. The severity of Glacium flavum cytotoxicity on glioblastoma cells was higher than neurospheres and showed a significant difference (P <0.05). Also, the quantitative results of the cell viability indicated that concentrations of 300 and 500 µg/ml of the extract of Glacium flavum has been as the IC50 concentration for C118 cells and NCs respectively. Conclusion: Finally, it can be concluded that natural products such as Glacium flavum with its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory pharmacological and biochemical properties and as regards it has less site effects on non-cancerous cells so, can be effective in treating glioblastoma tumors.