An Investigation of Compositions and Effects of Local Herbal Glycyrrhiza glabra and Mentha pulegium extracts on Helicobacterpylori and Cell Line of stomach Cancer (AGS) by MTT assays

Abstract

<strong>Background & Aim:</strong>According to globally development of stomach cancer especially in Ardabil, Iran, as the second major cause of mortality throughout the world, increased drug-resistant bacteria including <em>Helicobacter pylori</em> as the most important risk factors for stomach cancer, and side effects of antibiotics and chemical drugs normally used to treat.<br /> <strong>Experimental: </strong>The current research was conducted to investigate the anticancer and antimicrobial effects of native herbs of liquorice (<em>Glycyrrhiza glabra</em>) and pennyroyal (<em>Mentha pulegium</em>) extractions for finding a solution with the lowest complications in control or treatment of stomach cancer.The extractions were firstly obtained using Soxhlet and methanol solvent and then their compounds were determined by GC/MS. Antimicrobial activity, MIC and MBC of the extractions were assessed respectively using agar diffusion and broth dilution test and the anticancer effect on stomach cancer (cell line AGS) was assessed by MTT assay. <em>H. pylori ATCC 26695</em> was respectively revived and purified on Brucella broth containing 7% citrated horse serum and Columbia agar.<br /> <strong>Results:</strong> The analysis showed thatliquorice extract contains 15 compositions, mainly consists of 26.48% Nonane, 23.38% Ethylcyclohexan, 8.29% 3-Bromodecane, 10.31% trans-2-Heptenal, 8.93% 9-Octadecenamide and 4.68% β-pregna and pennyroyal extract contains 17 compositions, mainly including 3.36% Camphor, 22.79% Pulegone, 4.92% Paramenth-3-n8-l, 8.06% Menthoforan, 7.54% Cis-Isopulegon and 24.58% α-Selinene. The bacteria were resistant or semi-sensitive to common antibiotics, whereas had considerable sensitivity to herbal extracts and liquorice showed almost three times more antibacterial effect. Pennyroyal extract had no cytotoxic effects, but the anticancer effect was observed in liquorice extract with optimal concentration of 25 μg/ml after 48 hours.<br /> <strong>Recommended applications/industries:</strong> In conclusion, liquorice extract due to the significant health benefits of anticancer and antibacterial activity can be selective and highly effective herbal medicine as an alternative to antibiotics and other chemical drugs.