Anti-proliferative activity of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) aqueous extracts on human colorectal cancer cell lines | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 11 No. 10 (2021): October 2021 / Research Articles Anti-proliferative activity of yerba mate (Ilex paraguariensis) aqueous extracts on human colorectal cancer cell lines Authors Ali Jason Saleh Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Balamand, Lebanon Leen Othman Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Balamand, Lebanon Michel Elchoueiry Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Balamand, Lebanon Rita Ghanem Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Balamand, Lebanon Samer Bazzi Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Balamand, Lebanon Marwan El-Sabban Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Lebanon Roula M Abdel-Massih Department of Biology, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, University of Balamand, Lebanon DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v11i10.828 Abstract Background: Yerba mate, a popular, tea-like beverage prepared from the dried leaves of Ilex paraguariensis, is widely consumed, and has several reported health benefits. Compared with other herbal teas, the effect of yerba mate on human cells in the context of cancer has not been extensively studied. The method of extraction of bioactive compounds from the yerba mate leaves plays an important role in its effect on cancer cells.  Methods: In this study we assessed the viability, anti-proliferative, and apoptotic effect of the aqueous yerba mate extract, prepared using the same conditions employed for consumption, on different human colorectal cancer cell lines (Caco-2, HT-29, and HCT116) and on the non-tumorigenic human colon epithelial cell line (NCM460). Results: Cytotoxicity of aqueous yerba mate extract was studied and a dose-dependent decrease in viability was observed in all the tested cell lines. At 24 hrs., viability decreased to 19.7% with Caco-2 cells, 2.7% with HCT116, and 8.4% with HT-29 cells at a concentration of 4.8 mg/mL of yerba mate extract. The effect was less prominent on the NCM460 cell line where the viability of cells at the same concentration was 65.2%. Yerba mate extract also showed concentration-dependent anti-proliferative effects as determined by the WST-1 proliferation kit. IC50 values ranged between 0.22-0.69 mg/mL at 24 hr for cell lines tested. To study whether cell death was due to apoptosis, Caco-2 cells were stained with Annexin V-FITC assay and an increase in the percentage of late apoptotic Caco-2 cells was observed with yerba mate extract at 0.6-4.8 mg/mL. Cell cycle analysis using DNA content by flow cytometry showed an increase in the percentage of Caco-2 cells in the subG0/G1 phase and the G0/G1 phase after treatment with 2.4 mg/mL extract. Collectively, our data suggest that yerba mate aqueous extract exhibits an anti-proliferative effect on tested cell lines by inducing apoptosis.   Conclusions: Yerba mate aqueous extract exhibits a strong anti-proliferative activity against adenocarcinoma cell lines studied and constitutes a promising functional food adjuvant to anti-cancer therapy. Further work is needed to identify active components and mechanisms of action.  Keywords: Aqueous extract, yerba mate, anti-proliferative activity, adenocarcinoma cell lines   Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2021-10-05 Issue Vol. 11 No. 10 (2021): October 2021 Section Research Articles License Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com