Evaluation of Cytotoxic and Apoptotic Mechanism of Hydro alcoholic Extract of Saffron Corm (Crocus sativus) on Molti-Form Glioblastoma Cells (U87)

Objective Nowadays, plant components with anti-cancer effects and multi-mechanisms are desired by scientists. Studies have shown which to control of multi-factors diseases like cancer, should emphasize on anti-cancer multi-mechanisms components. One of the most common cancers in today's societies is glioblastoma. Therefore, in this research, the effect of hydro alcoholic extract of saffron corm as an anti-tumor drug on the survival of glioblastoma cells was investigated.    Materials and methods In this study, extract of corm saffron (Crocus sativus L.) was prepared by softening method. The U87 cell line (human primary glioblastoma cell line) was prepared from a pasteurized cell bank, multiple times passage, and the cells reached the required number. Cytotoxic drugs and extract of saffron curry were performed simultaneously and simultaneously based on MTT colorimetric assay with certain concentrations of drug and extract in 24.48, and 72 hours. The apoptotic changes of 120, and 240 mg ml-1 of extract and control were measured by using flow cytometry and propidiodideid. In addition, ROS was measured for each of the concentrations of extract and control by fluorimetry and staining with DCF-DA.   Results Results of MTT test shown that the highest cytotoxic effect was related to 400 μg ml-1 hydro alcoholic corm extract with 90 % toxicity and treatment 200 μg ml-1 with about 60 % toxicity stayed on second position. Temzolamide drug 125 μM had the highest toxicity of effect 55 %. The highest amounts of apoptotic cell death 87 and 95 % were related to 240 μg ml-1 hydro alcoholic corm extract in 24 and 48 hours after treat respectively based on flow cytometry data. ROS test at 6 hours after treat shown that the highest amount of adsorption were related to 240 and 120 μg ml-1 hydro alcoholic corm extracts respectively.   Conclusion The results 24, 48, and 72 hours treatment of saffron corn extract and temzolamide showed their anti-tumor effects on glayobastoma cancer cells, and the results were dose-dependent and time-dependent. The results of the cytotoxic, apoptotic and oxidative stress determined that saffron corm extract have anti-tumor effects on U87 cancer cell line significantly (P <0.0001) level and can increase oxidative stress on them.