Background:
Silibinin a flavonoid from milk thistle (Silybum marianum) exhibit a variety of pharmacological actions, including anti-proliferative and apoptotic activities against various types of cancers in intact animals and cancer cell lines. In the present study, the effect of silibinin on human colon cancer HT-29 cells was studied.
Method:
Incubations of cells with different silibinin concentrations (0.783-1,600 ug/ml) for 24, 48 or 72 h showed a progressive decline in cell viability.
Results:
Loss of cell viability was time dependent and optimum inhibition of cell growth (78%) was observed at 72 h. Under inverted microscope, the dead cells were seen as cell aggregates. IC50 (silibinin concentration killing 50% cells) values were 180, 110 and 40ug/ml at 24, 48 and 72 h respectively.
Conclusion:
These findings re-enforce the anticancer potential of silibinin, as reported earlier for various other cancer cell lines.