ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AND CYTOTOXICITY EFFECTS OF SALVADORA PERSICA (MESWAK) EXTRACTS ON JURKAT T-CELLS

Abstract

Salvadora persica (S. persica), Meswak, is an evergreen shrub to 6-7 m. It has many biological activities such as antipyretic, anti-inflammatory and antifungal activities. This study evaluated in vitro cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory effects of S. persica extracts on human oral Jurkat (T leukemia cells). Extracts from Meswak stick and leaves were tested in different concentrations for their cytotoxic and anti-inflammatory activities on human oral Jurkat T- cells. So treated cells viability with increasing concentrations of S. persica stick extract (0.008-0.2 μg/ml) and leaves extract (0.016-0.5 μg/ml) for 24, 48 or 72 hours was assessed by using the mitochondrial dependent reduction of yellow MTT (3-[4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2, 5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) to purple formazan. Also Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was performed on supernatants from treated Jurkat T-cells with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and both extracts to quantify IL-6, IL-8 pro-inflammatory cytokines. Statistically significant differences were indicated by p <0.05. Incubation of Jurkat cells with sterile distilled water, negative control, didn't show any mortality through the incubation period. Against PHA, positive control, both stick and leaves extracts of S. persica like resulted in a dose-dependent decrease of IL-6 and IL-8 secretion (p <0.01). Although both extracts significantly inhibited survival of Jurkat cells (p < 0.01) in a dose- and time-dependent manner, stick extract exerted more cytotoxic effects on Jurkat cells than leaves extract of S. persica (p <0.03). In conclusion, although with increasing concentrations of both extracts anti-inflammatory properties were boosted, S. persica extracts had dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on human oral Jurkat T-cells.