• Evaluation of antioxidant and cytotoxic properties of Ephedra major extract and essential oil on A549 cell line of lung cancer and changes in expression of Bax and P53 genes
  • Mahdieh Nasiri Varzeghani,1,*


  • Introduction: Introduction: Lung cancer is one of the most common types of cancer in the world and Iran. The antioxidant property of the variety plant sources is studied to obtain an efficacious drug against cancer. The objectives of the present study is to evaluate the antioxidant and anticancer effects of the essential oil and hydro alcohol extract of Ephedra's major plant against lung cancer A549 cell line.
  • Methods: Method: Ephedra plant extract and essential oil were extracted by soaking and Clevenger method respectively. The antioxidant activity of the extracts was measured using the DPPH test, and the phenolic content was measured by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Also, the level of cytotoxicity, different concentrations of essential oil and extract of ephedra plant were evaluated on A549 cells at three times of 24, 48 and 72 hours using the MTT method. The expression changes of BAX and P53 genes was measured using Real time PCR method.
  • Results: Results: Our results showed that the concentration of phenolic content and antioxidant properties were higher in the ethanol extract than in the methanol extract. Cytotoxicity investigation indicated that IC50 of ephedra essential oil was 600 µl/ml and IC50 of ephedra plant extract was 750 µg/ml in 48 hours after treatment. Results of the study relevant that expression of BAX and p53 genes significantly increased under the influence of IC50 concentration of Ephedra essential oil and ethanol extract compared to the control group.
  • Conclusion: Conclusion: This investigation found that the extract and essential oil of ephedra major had cytotoxic properties on A549 lung cancer cells in higher concentrations and correlated by increasing the expression of BAX and P53 genes. So, these extracts can be used for the development of new drugs against lung cancer.
  • Keywords: Keyword: Ephedra major, lung cancer, Cytotoxic, antioxidant