Protective effects of kaempferol against reactive oxygen species-induced hemolysis and its antiproliferative activity on human cancer cells

• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.02.045
• Publication Date: 2016-02-28T18:29:58Z
• Authors: Wenzhen Liao; Luying Chen; Xiang Ma; Rui Jiao; Xiaofeng Li; Yong Wang
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; 0303 health sciences; Erythrocytes; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Molecular Structure; Cell Survival; Protective Agents; Hemolysis; Antioxidants; 3. Good health; Structure-Activity Relationship; 03 medical and health sciences; Neoplasms; MCF-7 Cells; Humans; Kaempferols; Reactive Oxygen Species; Cell Proliferation; HeLa Cells

The protective effects of kaempferol against reactive oxygen species (ROS)-induced hemolysis and its antiproliferative activity on human cancer cells were evaluated in this study. Kaempferol exhibited strong cellular antioxidant ability (CAA) with a CAA value of 59.80 ± 0.379 μM of quercetin (QE)/100 μM (EC50 = 7.74 ± 0.049 μM). Pretreatment with kaempferol significantly attenuated the ROS-induced hemolysis of human erythrocyte (87.4% hemolysis suppressed at 100 μg/mL) and reduced the accumulation of toxic lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA). The anti-hemolytic activity of kaempferol was mainly through scavenging excessive ROS and preserving the intrinsic antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, SOD; catalase, CAT; and glutathione peroxidase, GPx) activities in normal levels. Additionally, kaempferol showed significant antiproliferative activity on a panel of human cancer cell lines including human breast carcinoma (MCF-7) cells, human stomach carcinoma (SGC-7901) cells, human cervical carcinoma (Hela) cells and human lung carcinoma (A549) cells. Kaemperol induced apoptosis of MCF-7 cells accompanied with nuclear condensation and mitochondria dysfunction.