THE ROLE OF PEGANUM HARMALA L. EXTRACT ON ACTIVITY OF P53 ON SOME CANCEROUS CELL LINES

The aqueous and methanol extracts of Peganum harmala L. were tested in vitro on the cancerous cell lines Hep-2 (human laryngeal Carcinoma Cell) and Hela (Cervical Human Carcinoma Cell). The results revealed dose-dependant significant differences, and there was increasing cytotoxic effect of aqueous and methanol extracts at concentrations 78- 10000 and 156-10000 μg/ml respectively on Hep-2 cell line, and 312-5000 and 78-10000 μg/ml respectively on Hela cell line, at the first 24 hrs. Of exposure time, and with no significant differences on all period time (24, 48 and 72 hrs.) on Hep-2 and Hela cell lines. The results showed that there was a difference in response between the two cell lines on p53 concentrations that were increased after treatment with aqueous and methanol extracts of P. harmala. Such finding refer to the increase of activity of p53 gene to reparing the damage of the cell and induction of apoptosis that causing cell death on both cell lines compared with control (not treated) on all concentration on Hep-2 and highest concentration on Hela cell line. Therefore, the p53 gene plays an important effect on cell death of the two cell line (Hep-2 and Hela).