Toxicity Effect of Hydro-Alcoholic Extract of Pistachio Hull and Its Liposomal Form on Liver Cancer Cells (HepG2)

Background and Objectives: Pistachio skin is rich in phenolic compounds and an inexpensive source of antioxidants, which can be a good option for combating cancer cells. The aim of this study was to determine the potential of pistacia vera hydroalcoholic extract and its liposomal form as a potential cytotoxic agent in HepG2 cell line, which is related to human liver cancer. Materials and Methods: In this in vitro study, the inhibitory effects of pistachio hull extract and its liposomal form on HepG2 and L929 cells were determined by the method of 3- (4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium (MTT) at the concentrations of 0 to 4 mg / ml in 24 and 48 hrs, and for each cell line, the survival mean of the cells was analyzed using Dunnett’s test.. Results: The results of this study showed that the hydroalcoholic extract of pistachio skin reduced the survival of liver cancer cells (HepG2) and decreased the cell viability by increasing time and concentration. Also, the results of the liposomal form of the extract showed that the liposomal extract reduced the survival of liver cancer cells (HepG2). Conclusion: The findings of this study indicated that the extract was more slowly released in the liposomal form than the free extract. Also in the liposomal form of the extract, the extract showed a lower toxicity to healthy L929 cells than liver cancer cells (HepG2). Key words: Cytotoxicity, Pistachio, Liposomes, Liver cancer   Funding: This study did not have any funds. Conflict of Interest: None declared. Ethical approval: This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.   How to cite this article: Harandi H, Majd A, Khanamani Falahati-Pour  S, Mahmoodi M. Toxicity Effect of Hydro-Alcoholic Extract of Pistachio Hull and Its Liposomal Form on Liver Cancer Cells (HepG2). J Rafsanjan Univ Med Sci 2020; 18 (10): 1035-48. [Farsi]