Abstract

The search for new anti-cancer drugs from natural products is one of the most prominent research areas of treatment of cancer. Honey finds a vital role in various applications using its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial and antitumor properties. We investigated the potential of honey to induce cytotoxic and antiproliferative effects in cultured human prostate cancer cell line (PC-3) in comparison to non-malignant (L929) cells. Both cells were cultured in RPMI medium and treated with the selected crude honey sample at various concentrations (5, 10 and 15%) for three consecutive days. The results revealed that the cell viability decreased in a concentration and time- dependent manner in the malignant cells treated with honey in comparison with non-malignant cells. Honey showed anti-proliferative activity with the IC₅₀ value 4, 10 and 14% after 24, 48 and 72 h, respectively in PC-3 cell line. Overall, it can be concluded that higher concentrations of honey is safe for L929, but it exerts anti-tumor cytotoxicity and anti-proliferative effects in a prostate cancer-derived cell line. Thus, it is considered as a potential chemotherapeutic agent against prostate cancer.

Key words: Anti-proliferative, programmed cell death, Honey bee, human prostateadenocarcinoma, MTT.